asked the Minister for Defence if he will explain how a prescribed sum for an applicant for a special allowance under the Army Pensions Acts is calculated.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Pensioner Special Allowance.
9.
The appropriate annual sums, to which I assume the Deputy is referring, are prescribed in the Army Pensions (Increase) Regulations, 1973, (S.I. No. 141 of 1973). These sums have been increased by £23 with effect from the 1st October, 1973, in line with pension increases under the 1973 budget. The necessary statutory regulations are in course of preparation. Meanwhile the increase is being paid to special allowance holders.
The cutdown in the amount of money allocated is made because of alleged family contributions. Does the Minister consider in cases where there is no profit made out of these family contributions that the person should be cut?
I have no knowledge of what the Deputy says with regard to family contributions but I think a wise thing might be if I undertook to send him the highly detailed supplementary information I have here. For instance, in the case of profit from a farm or profit such as, perhaps, the Deputy is referring to—as I say I have no knowledge of cuts for that reason—the whole of the profit only is taken into account. In the case of social welfare payments which a person might be enjoying only a portion is taken into account. If the Deputy would accept that, I will send him the detailed information and he might, perhaps, ask another question. I am sure the Deputy understands that I am doing my very best to help these unfortunate people. Any way the Deputy or I can help them would be to the good.