asked the Minister for Defence the reason why unmarried officers and men of the Defence Forces are not regarded as qualified for retirement gratuities.

94.

asked the Minister for Defence if he will examine the question of the payment of gratuities and retirement pay and pensions to single personnel of the permanent Defence Forces.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 94 together.

The Defence Forces (Pensions) Schemes do not provide for the payment of gratuities on retirement in addition to pension for single personnel of the Permanent Defence Force the reason being that, basically, single personnel receive the same rate of pension as married personnel even though the single rates of pay are lower than the married rates.

I am, however, having the matter examined to see if there is any way in which gratuities in addition to pension can be provided for single personnel.

I am interested in Question No. 94, which has to do with pensions and gratuities on retirement.

The married rates of pay for officers of the Permanent Defence Force are higher than the single rates, but the married and single rates of retired pay are exactly the same for lieutenants and for captains and not very different for the other ranks up to colonel. Therefore, the maximum retired pay of a single officer represents a much higher percentage of pay than that of a married officer, for example, 61 per cent in the case of a single captain as against 48 per cent in the case of a married captain.

The foregoing arises from the pensions structure for Army officers, which is not a pay related one as in the case of other branches of the public service. Basically the pension is the same whether an officer is married or single and a married officer gets a gratuity in addition—in effect a resettlement grant to enable him to set up home afresh on retirement. If, therefore, single officers were to get gratuities, their pensions would have to be reduced relative to the unmarried rates of pay. This question is at present under consideration.

A single soldier receives the same basic pension as a married one, even though the latter's pay is higher. However, the married soldier receives an additional married pension plus a gratuity of a maximum of 31 weeks' pay. A case could, possibly, be made for the payment of a gratuity to a single soldier on the same basis as that payable to a married soldier. This could not, however, be dealt with without also dealing with the case of the single officer and the whole question will take some time to resolve.

The matter is at present being examined in consultation with the military authorities. If agreement is reached, it will be necessary to obtain the sanction of the Minister for Finance and to amend the Defence Forces (Pensions) Scheme.

I have been raising this matter for two years. As far as I am aware, gratuity is paid in regard to service, not status.

The Minister does not know.

That is a separate question.

It is not a separate question. I protest.

The Deputy has got the Minister's answer.

If the Deputy likes to communicate with me, I will let him have a detailed reply.

I protest. My supplementary was genuine.

I cannot compel the Minister to make the point.

Call the next question.

Also on the question of service gratuities, I understood the Minister to say that a gratuity is paid to a married man on the basis of helping him to make provision for moving house and that no such payment is made to a single man. Surely the Minister will agree that a gratuity is paid in return for service rendered over a period, whether a man is single or married?

We will have one comment from the Minister.

My comment on that is that the single captain, if one were to take that as an example, gets 61 per cent of his pay as a pension and a married man gets 48 per cent of his salary as well as a gratuity—as something towards setting up home.

The Minister is saying——

I am calling the next question.

I protest. Surely we are entitled——

The Chair has control of Question Time. The Deputy has had his questions.

Surely we can raise a point of order when a Minister does not give an explanation with which we are satisfied?

The Deputy has redress.

I wish to give notice that I intend to raise the matter on the adjournment.

The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.