Arising from a letter from the Minister’s Private Secretary on 18 February, ARCOIreland responded to the Minister of State with Responsibility for Defence on 05 March.
At the outset, ARCOIreland reiterated its strongly held conviction that the Military Service Allowance (MSA) increase must retrospectively apply to all military pensions in payment on 03 July 2019, including pensions of the dependents of deceased personnel who died in service, or when in retirement.
As previously conveyed, a decision not to apply the MSA increase to military pensions in payment on 03 July 2019 would be inconsistent with the Government’s stated policy to “Support our veterans for the public service and outstanding contribution they have made to the State”.
To view ARCOIreland’s submission to the Minister of State with Responsibility for Defence, please CLICK HERE.
ARCOIreland also made a comprehensive submission on the matter to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on 05 March 2020.
ARCOIreland strongly maintains that absolutely no grounds exist for not applying the MSA increase to military pensions which are “in payment” on 03 July 2019. In fact, long standing precedent exists to apply MSA increases, and indeed increases to other pension reckonable allowances, to military pensions in payment.
Not to apply the 04 July 2019 MSA increase to military pensions in payment would represent a substantial change to the Government’s military pension policy and would have significant repercussions for the wider Veteran Community.
To view ARCOIreland’s submission to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform please CLICK HERE.
