asked the Minister for Defence if, having regard to the very small percentage of retiring soldiers who take a civilian suit from the Army, he will now remove such an anachronism and replace it with a grant of money to each retiring soldier equivalent to the present day cost of a suit of clothes.

23.

asked the Minister for Defence when the sum of £3 10s. in lieu of a civilian suit for retiring soldiers was fixed; and if he will now multiply the value of such grant to provide a sum equivalent to the present day cost of a suit of clothes.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 23 together.

The essential point is that personnel on discharge or transfer to the Reserve Defence Force must surrender their uniforms and leave barracks in civilian attire. Most men possess such attire in the normal course and the grant of £3 10s. is in the nature of compensation. As the sum of £3 10s. was fixed in 1945, I am arranging to have the matter reviewed.

Would the Minister present to the National Museum one of these civilian suits before the present supply is exhausted in 1970? These suits are such a rare and valuable anachronism that future generations would be interested to see a suit considered to be worth only £3 10s. in 1964.

That is not a question as envisaged by Standing Orders.

We shall dress up the Deputy in one and send him off to the Museum.

I should look better than the whole Fianna Fáil Cabinet, anyway.

The Deputy fancies himself.