Seamus Brennan
Ceist:118 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Finance if he will review the process following an award given by arbitration to a widow of a civil servant (details supplied) in County Dublin following the death in service of her husband in July 1973; whether at the time of the death, the automatic payment of injury grant to a widow had been increased by the Civil Service conciliation and arbitration scheme from one-third of a salary to one-half of a salary, with effect from June 1973, and that the widow was therefore entitled to one-half of the salary; whether, in view of the fact that her late husband was a voluntary contributor to the Civil Service Widows' and Orphans' Pension Fund, as introduced in July 1968, she became entitled to an additional one-quarter of the salary; the reason the person concerned has been receiving a reduced pension of seven-twelfths rather than the nine-twelfths she believes she is entitled to, due to the fact that agreed arbitration scheme recommendations cannot be rescinded by his Department; if he will accept the widow's claim that the settlement offered and accepted on 30 March 1987 was not in strict accordance with the regulations and that her signed acceptance of it was done under duress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21593/96]