David Norris (Independent)

Then the Leader knows what I mean. Perhaps the Minister is also aware of the case of a man who was employed as a member of the Defence Forces for 31 years. When he retired from the Army, he received a pension organised on the basis of 21 years service and an extra year for every year of extra service. He received an extra ten years worth of pension entitlement, but when he reached 66 his birthday present was to be told this was to be reduced by €344 per month. It was very wrong. The old age pension was to be taken out of the pension he had earned and paid into as a member of the Army. This anomaly, which affects a small number of people, is mean minded and should be investigated.

One of my constituents, a retired Church of Ireland clergyman, lived and paid taxes in this State for more than 30 years. He and his wife, upon suffering ill-health in their 70s, moved to the North of Ireland in order to avail of that region's superior social services. Due to the couple's ill-health, they cannot drive south to visit their two children living in Dublin and Wicklow. The clergyman believed that he could retain his entitlement to free travel, which was introduced precisely because of this type of situation. Our all-Ireland ambitions are put into question if one of our citizens, upon moving to the North of Ireland, is rewarded for residing on territory which we claim and among citizens whom we try to protect by the denial of free travel. The clergyman knows of wealthy people living in the North who, by virtue of affording holiday homes in Donegal, retain their entitlements to free travel because they can supply an address in this State. That does not appear fair. People in the North of Ireland who have paid taxes in the South throughout their careers might not expect free television licences or fuel allowances but should be entitled to free travel. Connections between the two parts of this country would be improved by this means. I also ask the Minister to explore the anomalous situation where €344 is deducted from an Army pension due to old age. That is mean spirited and, given the present state of the economy, unnecessary.