asked the Minister for Defence the allowances paid to troops on overseas duty by rank; how such allowances are decided and by whom; when they were last reviewed; and the plans he has for a review of such allowances.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Overseas Duty Allowances.
4.
Members of the Permanent Defence Force serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and United Nations Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) are paid in addition to their normal home pay:
(1) a local service allowance, and
(2) an overseas allowance.
Local service allowance is fixed by the United Nations and is paid, irrespective of rank, at the daily equivalent rate of $1.28 to UNIFIL personnel and .705 Cyprus pounds (about £1 Irish) to UNFICYP personnel.
Officers serving with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO) receive, in addition to their normal home pay, a daily mission subsistence allowance from the United Nations, which varies according to location. They also receive an overseas allowance from my Department.
The rates of overseas allowance are fixed and paid by my Department and are subject to the sanction of the Minister for the Public Service. Rates of overseas allowance were last revised with effect from 1 July 1985 and are kept under constant review.
The current daily rates of overseas allowance are in the form of a tabular statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate in the Official Report.
Daily Rates of Overseas Allowance
|
Rank |
Married |
Single |
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
Personnel serving with UNIFIL |
||
|
Commandant to Colonel |
21.30 |
18.25 |
|
Second-Lieutenant to Captain |
19.35 |
16.30 |
|
Sergeant to Battalion Sergeant-Major |
16.10 |
14.05 |
|
Corporal |
15.60 |
13.60 |
|
Private |
15.05 |
13.10 |
|
Personnel serving with UNFICYP |
||
|
Commandant to Colonel |
13.90 |
10.45 |
|
Second-Lieutenant to Captain |
11.60 |
8.20 |
|
Sergeant to Battalion Sergeant-Major |
8.05 |
5.75 |
|
Corporal |
7.50 |
5.25 |
|
Private |
6.90 |
4.65 |
|
Personnel serving with UNTSO |
||
|
Officers (married or single) |
9.00 |
Can the Minister tell us whether these allowances are refundable from the United Nations? How much money would be spent by Ireland in any year — say, 1985 or 1986 — in paying allowances to our troops overseas?
I would not have the information on the total sum paid. It is possible to work it out mathematically in relation to the number serving in each area with UNIFIL and in Cyprus and also with UNTSO. The rates are paid by the Department and the local service allowance is paid by the UN, as is the daily mission subsistence in the case of UNTSO. There is no specific refund of that allowance to us. There is a refund by the UN to us in overall terms. I am not in a position to say whether that in toto is refunded.