Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 210: To ask the Minister for Defence the reason veterans are not included in the 2.5% increase in pay and pension recently awarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15787/08]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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There are no Veterans of the War of Independence in receipt of pensions from my Department, the last such recipients having died in 2006. Some 500 spouses of deceased Veterans are in receipt of monthly allowances from my Department. These allowances are not increased on the occasion of pay and pension increases granted to serving and retired military personnel. They are specially reviewed from time to time, the most recent review having been undertaken in the context of the 90th anniversary of the 1916 Rising. On that occasion, the payments were increased by 50% from 1 April 2006, having been previously increased by 50% from 1 July 2004 and by 50% from 1 January 2000. Thus, all of these payments have been more than trebled in amount since 1 January 2000, which is a very substantial level of increase by any standard. The 2.5% increase in pay and pensions referred to in the Question is a standard increase under the terms of the Towards 2016 Pay Agreement.