John McGuinness
Ceist:91 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Defence if the pension and any other benefits relating to a person (details supplied) will now be transferred to his wife. [11267/01]
Written Answers - Defence Forces Pension.
The wife of the deceased person in question is not eligible for a spouse's pension from my Department because her late husband was not a member of the spouse's and children's contributory pension scheme for soldiers. He opted out of membership of the scheme on its introduction in 1978 and, when given a second opportunity to join a revised scheme in 1985, he again chose not to do so.