Is the Minister aware that in the case of some of these pensions there is a means test, and in view of the small number now receiving these pensions will the Minister of State consider asking the Government to abolish the means test for the payment of such pensions?

(Dún Laoghaire): It is the practice to increase military service pensions periodically by a percentage determined by the Minister for the Public Service by reference to the increase granted to public service pensioners generally.

Is the Minister aware that the payment of funds to 1917-21 medal holders is determined by the amount of income they have in some cases and that the payment of an old age pension by the Department of Social Welfare is taken into account in calculating a person's means and a generous allowance made in the deduction when arriving at the means? Is the Minister aware that no such generous allowance is made in the case of those in receipt of an American retirement pension, a British Government retirement pension or a retirement pension from other foreign countries? Will the Minister accept that medal holders placed in that position find that their pension is being taken off them when the means test is carried out?

The question deals with numbers only.

In view of the fact that only a small number of those great men are still alive will the Minister do the generous thing in this year's budget and make the same deduction for foreign retirement pensions as is made for Irish old age pensions? The Minister knows what I am getting at.

(Dún Laoghaire): I have answered the question tabled. The information requested relates to pensions determined by the length of service and the rank of the pensioner. Applications were decided under the 1924 Act by a board of assessors and under the 1934 Act by a referee and an advisory committee. That is the information I have supplied.