asked the Minister for Defence if he will introduce by legislation, if necessary, a disability pension under the Army Pensions Acts to cover all claims for disability and disease contracted by personnel while serving at home or abroad.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Disability Pensions.
61.
The Army Pensions Acts provide for the grant of disability pensions to former members of the Defence Forces in respect of disease only where the disease is attributable to service rendered during the April, 1922-September, 1924, period, the emergency period (1939-1946) or with a United Nations Force. It is not proposed to introduce legislation to provide disability pensions for disease contracted during normal peace-time service at home. As the Deputy is no doubt aware, the Acts provide for the grant of wound pensions to former members of the Defence Forces in respect of wounds attributable to service at any time, whether at home or overseas with a United Nations Force.
I take it from the Minister's reply that a long-term serving soldier is not entitled to a pension if he contracts a disease at home. In other words, he is invalided out of the service. If he has not contracted the disease abroad he gets nothing.
He does not get a disability pension.
What does he get?
He may be eligible for a service pension. There are cards stamped for him also.
Does the Minister not consider that his responsibility towards personnel is to give them a disability pension whether they contracted that disability at home or abroad?
The present position is that which has obtained under successive Governments and I do not propose to alter it.
That is all the more reason why I am asking the Minister to introduce legislation now to change it.