asked the Minister for Defence the percentage increase in army and military service pensions which will be granted under the provision of the Budget.
Written Answers. - Military Pensions.
99.
In accordance with the Budget Statement of the Minister for Finance, pensions payable by my Department will be increased from the 1st October, 1971, as follows:—
Pensions under the Military Service Pensions Acts and flat-rate disability pensions under the Army Pensions Acts will be increased by 10.5 per cent, subject to a minimum rate of pension of £52.20 a year (£1 a week) in the case of military service pensions. The pay-related pensions of personnel of the Defence Forces whose services terminated prior to the 1st June, 1969, will be raised to the levels appropriate to the pay rates in force on the 1st June, 1969.
100.
asked the Minister for Defence the reason why his Department refused to extend the time-limit on applications for military service pensions in the case of a veteran in Dublin (name supplied).
101.
asked the Minister for Defence the number of applications which have been made to his Department for military service pensions since the statutory time-limit on such applications elapsed.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 101 together.
The latest date for the acceptance of completed forms of application under the Military Service Pensions Acts from persons who had not previously applied was the 18th March, 1955. As the administration of the Military Service Pensions Acts has long since been wound up there is no machinery in existence whereby an application from the person referred to by the Deputy could be dealt with under these Acts.
Details are not readily available in my Department regarding the number of applications received since the expiration of the statutory time-limit.