asked the Minister for Defence if he will consider granting free travel to members of the Defence Forces.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Defence Forces Free Travel.
95.
Members of the Permanent Defence Force travelling on duty are not obliged to pay travel costs. Two free travel warrants are issuable annually under prescribed conditions to men and members of the Army Nursing Service when going on leave with pay. In addition all members of the Permanent Defence Force may be issued with free travel warrants when proceeding on sick leave to an address in Ireland. The travel costs of members of the Reserve Defence Force—including the FCA and Slua Muirí—reporting for annual or other full-time training or in response to call-out on permanent service or in aid of the civil power are also borne by public funds.
In so far as members of the FCA or An Slua Muirí are concerned the annual gratuities paid to such members take into account travel costs such as those incurred in attendance at weekly parades.
Could the Minister tell us what the annual gratuity is at the moment for the FCA to which he referred?
Since 29th May, 1972, the gratuity has been as follows. It varies depending on whether the training is——
Give us the gratuity for a three-star private.
If a private has done not less than 14 days' full-time training he gets £12. Before 29th May, 1972, it was £6. If he has done seven days' full-time training or more, but less than 14 days' training, he gets £6 whereas formally he got £2.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary agree that this £12 would not compensate a private soldier serving in the North County Dublin Battalion, for the sake of argument, which I was in, for travelling to Kilkenny for annual training?
It is designed to compensate him. My opinion may not be worth much but I would say that £12 is a reasonable sum for the purpose the Deputy mentioned.
It has been that figure for a long time.
It has been that figure for not quite two years.
I got that when I was in it.
The Parliamentary Secretary is probably aware that many of our soldiers on duty at the Border come from places perhaps 200 miles away. Did I hear the Parliamentary Secretary say that, while off duty, they would not qualify for free travel on any of our public services? But for the present security arrangements they would not be on such duty. Very often they are far from home. Are there any concessions on those lines? I did not really catch what the Parliamentary Secretary said.
If they are travelling on service for the purpose of service, naturally their travel is paid for. When they are off duty in their recreation hours they pay for their travel like anybody else.
If somebody suddenly becomes ill at home can they avail of free public transport? The Parliamentary Secretary mentioned their own illness and I daresay he meant to include illness in their family. Do the regulations include that?
They are given free travel warrants when they are going on sick leave to an address in Ireland.
Does that include somebody in the Army who would not normally be on Border duty but for the present situation who had to return home urgently to Cork, Limerick or Kerry? I am taking the points farthest away.
On account of the illness of a relation?
Yes.
I have not got that information.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary look into it?
I will but I suspect the answer is "no".