Brendan Howlin
Ceist:33 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Defence if he will outline the levels of overseas allowances paid to Defence personnel on UN peace-keeping operations; and if a decision has been taken to increase the level of same.
Written Answers. - Defence Overseas Allowances.
As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose to circulate it in the Official Report.
Rates of overseas allowance paid by the Department of Defence to members of the Permanent Defence Force participating in United Nations peace-keeping missions are as follows:
1. United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) — Daily Rates.
|
Married |
Single |
|
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
Colonel to Commandant |
23.77 |
20.35 |
|
Captain to 2nd Lieut. |
21.60 |
18.19 |
|
BSM to Sergeant |
17.97 |
15.64 |
|
Corporal |
17.37 |
15.16 |
|
Private |
16.78 |
14.62 |
In addition the United Nations pay a local service allowance equivalent to US$1.28 a day to all ranks.
2. United Nations Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) — Daily Rates.
|
Married |
Single |
|
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
Colonel to Commandant |
19.36 |
14.54 |
|
Captain to 2nd Lieut. |
17.60 |
12.99 |
|
BSM to Sergeant |
14.64 |
11.17 |
|
Corporal |
14.15 |
10.82 |
|
Private |
13.67 |
10.44 |
The State also pays a local service allowance of 705 Cyprus Mils (about £1 per day) to the Irish personnel.
3. United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation in the Middle East (UNTSO) — Daily Rates: £10.01.
4. United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group (UNIIMOG) — Daily Rates: £10.01.
5. United Nations Observer Group in Central America (ONUCA) — Daily Rates: £10.01.
All allowances are currently being subjected to a detailed examination by the independent commission on pay and allowances in the Defence Forces. It would not be appropriate to make adjustments to allowances pending the outcome of the commission's deliberations.
6. In addition to the above the United Nations pay a subsistence allowance to officers serving with UNTSO and UNIIMOG, according to location as follows: Egypt, $50 per day; Israel, $34 (Tiberias, Nahariya, Jerusalem) per day; Lebanon, $48 (Beirut) per day; Syria, $40 per day; Jordan, $44 per day; Afghanistan, $42 per day; Iran, $160 per day; Iraq, $185 per day.
Officers serving with ONUCA also receive a daily subsistence allowance according to location but details are not yet available.