I propose to take Questions Nos. 939, 940, 957 and 959 together.
The only body under the aegis of my Department is the Army Pensions Board.
The Army Pensions Board is an independent statutory body established under the Army Pensions Act, 1927. The Act specifies that the Board shall consist of a chairman and two ordinary members. It does not have a Chief Executive Officer. The two ordinary members must be qualified medical practitioners of whom one must be an officer of the Army Medical Corps. The chairman and the non military ordinary member are appointed by the Minister for Defence with the concurrence of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The Army Medical Corps ordinary member is appointed by the Minister for Defence on the recommendation of the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces. The chairperson and the civilian doctor are entitled to annual fees of €7,618 and €5,079, respectively.
If a 25% reduction was applied to the above fees this would give a total potential annual saving of €3,174.
The only expenses payable to the members of the above Board are travel and subsistence expenses in accordance with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform guidelines.