Old soldiers thrown a few cent by politicians

ON Wednesday, December 15, I received my army pension cheque and a note telling me I had received a 2% increase. That amounted to six cent a day. To qualify for this pension, I had to do service of 21 years.

I served in the Congo, in Cyprus, on the border, anywhere the army decided I was needed.

During the 1970s my unit, the Fourth Battalion, was often moved at very short notice all over Ireland.

We provided protection for the gardaí and prison officers. We lost friends and comrades in Congo, Cyprus, Lebanon and Ireland. The army and the gardaí were the only protection the state had against gangs of murderous thugs.

We were often away from home, often cold and hungry and pay was so bad at one stage that some families were able to claim family supplement.

Despite all this, most of us loved the army.

Two former attorneys general get a pension of over €40,000 a year each after two years of well-paid service. Haughey gets nearly 100 times an army pension, Burke gets 60 times as much, Lawlor gets something similar. Meanwhile many old soldiers who devoted their lives to the army end up on the breadline.

With my increase from ‘Red’ Bertie in the budget, and my army pension, I have the stupendous amount of €2.20 extra a day. I don’t know how I will be able to spend it. Has anyone got the Ansbacher number?

Denis Leahy

124 Farranferris Avenue

Farranree

Cork