asked the Minister for Defence when an announcement will be made of the promised settlement of pay and other monetary arrangements concerning all ranks of the Defence Forces.

As the Deputy is aware, there is a working party from the Departments of Finance and Defence reviewing these matters. I am awaiting completion of their report.

In view of the discontent in the Army at present, which has been mentioned by Deputy Foley already, and also in view of the failure of the recent recruiting campaign, would the Minister not agree to set up a commission similar to the Conroy Commission to investigate pay, service and conditions in the Irish Army?

That is a separate question.

It is not.

It is a separate question. This question deals with the promised settlement of pay.

I am not prepared to subscribe to the Deputy's view that there is discontent in the Army at the present time.

It was Deputy Foley who told us there was.

That is misrepresentation.

Would the Minister say if he is referring to the Public Services Committee which is at present negotiating on wages and working conditions in the public service or is this a separate committee?

It is a separate working party set up in the manner I have stated.

Why is a separate working party necessary in view of the fact that the Public Services Committee are at present negotiating on wages and conditions? The last time they regulated the increased rates which were paid to the Army.

This is the arrangement which is in existence at the moment in relation to Army pay.

Is there a special reason for it or does the Minister not know?

18.

asked the Minister for Defence if he will consider paying Army personnel by cheque in future.

Officers of the Defence Forces are paid by cheque. As the Deputy was informed in reply to a similar question on the 5th December, 1968, there has been no demand, as regards non-commissioned officers and privates, for the arrangement requested by him. This would suggest that the present system of cash payment is generally acceptable and satisfactory.