asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider making reckonable for pension purposes, army service for which incremental allowance has been granted in the Department of Posts and Telegraphs.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Service for Pension Purposes.
29.
I regret that it would not be possible to accede to this request.
Might I inquire from the Taoiseach through the Chair if we are now becoming accustomed to the fact that Ministers responsible for Departments do not attend Dáil Eireann at Question Time except——
There is always a very good and substantial reason why a particular Minister is absent. The Minister for Education is engaged in the Seanad, as far as I know.
I am much obliged to the Taoiseach, but I think it would be a highly undesirable development if a Minister casually absented himself from answering for his Department at Question Time in Dáil Eireann.
I entirely agree. I do not know of any incident of that nature happening in the past two years.
I am obliged to the Taoiseach for that assurance.