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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 May 1995

Vol. 452 No. 3

Written Answers. - Army Pensions.

Brendan Kenneally

Ceist:

163 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Defence the number of court cases regarding Army service pensions which have been initiated or are pending and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7916/95]

Brendan Kenneally

Ceist:

164 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Defence the number of court cases in relation to Army disability pensions which have been initiated or are pending and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7917/95]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 164 together.

There are currently no cases in which legal proceedings have been initiated or are pending regarding the award of service pensions under the Defence Forces pensions schemes. Legal proceedings are being undertaken in four cases relating to disability pensions under the Army Pensions Acts.

Brendan Kenneally

Ceist:

165 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Defence the number of approvals and refusals in respect of applications for Army disability pensions in each of the last ten years. [7918/95]

The information requested in regard to applications for Disability Pensions under the Army Pensions Acts for the years 1990 to 1994 is as follows:

Year

Awarded

Refusals

Disability pensions

Disablement Gratuities

1990

12

27

24

1991

14

21

22

1992

22

20

17

1993

28

23

10

1994

5

15

5

Information in regard to applications prior to 1990 is not readily available and its compilation would involve an undue amount of time.

Brendan Kenneally

Ceist:

166 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Defence when the stipulation was brought into force requiring any person leaving the Army to apply for an Army disability pension within eight years of leaving the force; the efforts, if any, made to bring this stipulation to the notice of people in the Army prior to 1992, particularly those who were illiterate; the procedures in place for those who only suffered disablement after the period of eight years had elapsed from the time they left the Army where the disablement was directly caused by their time in the Army; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7919/95]

Under the Army Pensions Acts a disability pension may be granted to a former member of the Permanent Defence Force in respect of permanent disablement due to—

(a) a wound or injury attributable to service in the Defence Forces;

(b) a disease, but only if attributable to or aggravated by service with a United Nations Force.

Application for a disability pension must be made within a statutory time limit of 12 months after discharge or retirement in wound or injury cases and within eight years in cases of disease. The latter provision was enacted in 1960 to provide an extended period of application in the case of personnel who serve abroad with the United Nations.
It has been established practice for many years to provide all Defence Forces' personnel on their discharge or retirement with information setting out their possible entitlements under the Army Pensions Acts and emphasising the statutory time limits for submission of completed applications. This information is included with each individual's discharge documents.
As the relevant periods for the making of applications are strictly governed by statute the extension of the time limits in individual cases is not permissible.
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