asked the Minister for Defence the reason for the delay in paying a pension to a retired company sergeant (name supplied); if he will make arrangements to have it paid immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Sergeants' Pension.
119.
The pension is being witheld as the person concerned is overholding married quarters.
Defence Force regulations provide for the recovery, as a public debt, of charges in respect of the use of quarters, furniture, water, gas and/or electricity by former members of the Permanent Defence Force. While unauthorised possession of quarters is continued, it is not possible to finalise those charges. The Defence Forces (Pension) Scheme provides for the recovery of such charges from pension and for the withholding of pension until the amount of the deduction is ascertained.
Is this not a typical case where the Government and the Department of Defence gave no assistance whatever to a man who served the country for perhaps 40 years to find alternative accommodation. He is penalised for it by withholding his pension.
It is not a typical case at all——
I have come across several of them.
In this instance the man was paid a gratuity of £900.55 on 19th May, 1971. He was told the gratuity was being paid to assist him to obtain civilian accommodation.