asked the Minister for Defence whether, with reference to the statement issued by the Government Information Bureau on 24th June, 1957, his Department are contemplating the cancellation of the extended age limits for serving officers; and, if so, if he will state (a) whether extensions given to officers with I.R.A. services are involved; (b) the terms and conditions of such age extensions; (c) the purpose for which their cancellation is being contemplated; (d) the number of officers who have benefited under these regulations in the past, and (e) the number of officers who may still be entitled to benefit under them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Age Limits for Officers of Defence Forces.
I am contemplating the cancellation of certain extended age limits for serving officers. The replies to the queries (a) to (e) inclusive in the Deputy's question are as follows:—
(a) and (b): The ages for retirement for officers are prescribed by Defence Force Regulation. At present the normal ages for retirement for officers with the 1916 Medal and/or the Service (1917/21) Medal are one year higher than the normal retiring ages for other officers. In addition, in the case of an officer—(i) who was awarded the 1916 Medal and/or the Service (1917/21) Medal, and (ii) who is found, after medical examination within three months of the date on which he is due to reach the normal age for his retirement, to be medically fit for further service, and (iii) who is certified by the Chief of Staff to be capable of fulfilling the duties of the appointment which he holds, and (iv) in regard to whom I as the Minister for Defence am satisfied and so certify that it would be in the best interests of the service if he continued to serve beyond the normal age for his retirement, the age for his retirement is increased by a further two years (subject to a maximum of 65 years).
Apart from taking steps to ensure that the extra year is granted once only in his service to an officer, I do not contemplate changing the normal ages for retirement for the class of officers in question.
I contemplate cancelling, with effect from a current date, the Defence Force Regulation which provides for the further increase of two years in the ages for retirement for such officers.
(c) The purpose of any action which I may decide upon in this matter would be to serve, what I consider to be, the best interests of the Army as a whole.
(d) The number of officers who have benefited by the two years' increase in the ages for retirement is 35 (seven of whom have retired). In addition, 30 officers who benefited by one year's increase had retired before the introduction of the additional two years.
(e) The number of officers still serving who would be eligible for consideration under present Defence Force Regulations but who have not yet been granted the two years' increase in the ages for retirement is 64.
Can the Minister say if this is applied solely to officers who have I.R.A. service?
It is proposed to cancel these Defence Force Regulations which I have read out.
Am I right in saying then that the withdrawal of this concession is a withdrawal of a concession granted in respect of officers who had service entitling them to consideration, either as medal holders or pensioners qualified under the Army Pensions Code in respect of I.R.A. service?
That is correct.
Is the Minister aware that this is a considerable hardship on officers who have planned their retirement on the basis of an extra two years granted by that regulation?
This is a question of rectifying the injustice that was done to the other officers, who had also planned their future on the basis of the retiring ages which applied when they joined the Army.
Arising out of that, is the Minister aware of the fact that normal promotion during peacetime was far slower than it was during the emergency and that, in fact, the rate of promotion for officers who served prior to the emergency was substantially slower than it was for those who served during the emergency, and subsequently? Further, in view of the fact that these particular officers were not only foundation officers but had service as members of the Old I.R.A., will he consider the special circumstances of their position before he decides to concel this regulation?
I have already considered all the aspects of the matter and I have to consider the effect on the Army as a whole. The officers referred to have already been treated very well. Their normal retiring ages are one year higher than those of other officers and the majority are also drawing military service pensions in addition to their Army pay. I understand the military service pensions increase according as the holders of them get promotion in the Army.
Is it not a fact that so far as officers of the rank of captain are concerned, officers not in receipt of the benefits of the regulation to which we have been referring received a special increment to compensate them for any delayed promotion?
I do not know anything about that.