Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2004
183 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Defence if arrangements can be made to allow for payment of compensation bounty to families of military personnel serving abroad who lose their lives; if such payment is only payable in respect of UN sanctioned missions and in view of the numbers serving or other such missions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7243/04]
View answerWhere a member of the Permanent Defence Force, PDF, is killed in the course of duty or dies from a wound received in the course of duty, whether on duty at home or overseas, enhanced spouse's and children's allowances are payable under the Army Pensions Acts. The spouse's allowance is 50% of the deceased member's pay and an additional amount of up to 40% of the deceased's pay may be payable in respect of dependent children. Thus the maximum combined payment would be 90% of the deceased's pay. These benefits would be in place of the standard combined benefits of up to 50% of pay payable where a member of the PDF spouses' and children's contributory pension schemes dies in service or while on pension.
In addition to the benefits mentioned, a death gratuity of one year's pay is payable under the Defence Forces pensions schemes in all cases of death in service regardless of the circumstances.
Furthermore, my Department administers a special extra-statutory compensation scheme under which a lump sum payment of almost €87,000 may be paid to the spouse or other dependent immediate relative of a member of the PDF who was killed in the course of duty while serving overseas with an international United Nations force established by the Security Council or the General Assembly. This scheme covers the main missions in which PDF contingents are currently participating including UNMIL, United Nations Mission in Liberia, and KFOR, International Security Presence in Kosovo. It does not apply to UN observer missions or to other non-UN missions abroad.
Additional lump sum death benefits may also be payable under special insurance schemes organised by the Defence Forces. Most PDF personnel are members of such schemes and I understand that death benefits range from about €130,000 upwards.
Members of the PDF are insured for widows' or widowers' contributory pension under the Social Welfare Acts and such pensions would be paid in addition to any benefits payable by my Department.
