Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 668: To ask the Minister for Defence the reason a person (details supplied) did not receive an Army pension or financial support for psychological difficulties following time served in the Irish Army; if he will reconsider the position of the provision of an army pension to the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1236/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Army Pensions Acts provide for the consideration of a claim in respect of a disablement due to: (a) a wound or injury attributable to service in the Defence Forces, provided that the application is made within one year from the date of discharge from the Defence Forces; (b) disease attributable to, aggravated by, accelerated or excited by overseas service with a United Nation Force provided that the application is made within eight years from the date of discharge from the Defence Forces.

The time limits are absolute and there is no discretion in the Army Pensions Acts to extend them.

The person in question, who enlisted in July 1976 and was discharged in July 1979, first made an enquiry regarding a disability pension in July 2006. He was advised at that time that an application for disability pension could not be considered as it was not made within the time limits provided for in the Acts. The person in question did have sufficient service to qualify for occupational pension.