asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider allowing men in receipt of an Army pension, who are over 65 years of age to get such a pension free of income tax.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Pensions.
33.
The exemption referred to by the Deputy would involve special legislation which I do not propose to introduce.
As I commented last week, in view of the fact that it has been found possible to exempt certain people, including artists and those who are in good financial circumstances, would the Minister not agree that it should be possible to take steps to exempt others who are less well-off?
As I stated last week, this is not the best remedy for a situation like this. This is so for a number of reasons.
When the Minister's predecessor dealt with this matter in regard to artiste, was this consideration taken into account?
This is a special situation and the benefits deriving in this case helped people who were reasonably well-off rather than those who were not so well-off.
Would the Minister not consider that those people who have given service to the State, particularly those who served during the troubled times, are more entitled to receive consideration in regard to income tax remissions than any other people in the State?
That is a different question. There are some people who are entitled to this allowance but they are people who have given special service to the State.
Any person who has served for a great number of years in the Defence Forces has served this country well.