Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My question is quite technical and, therefore, I appreciate the Minister may not have an answer to hand. If an enlisted soldier, say, of private or corporal rank, retires after 31 years' service, he or she will get a 31-year pension, perhaps in his or her late 50s or at 60-years-old. When he or she hits 66, he or she will get the old age pension, but the 31-year pension will be pushed back down to a 21-year pension. It seems this issue is unique to the Defence Forces, although I am open to correction if that is not the case. If a garda, a prison officer or a firefighter has 31 years' service, he or she will keep the 31-year pension and it will be included with the old age pension. There appears to be an anomaly in the Defence Forces whereby service of 31 years is pushed back to 21 years when the old age pension is drawn down, but that does not happen in the rest of the public service. If the Minister does not have an answer to hand, will he inquire into it?