Army Pensions Act, 1927

Conditions attaching to pensions.

25.—(1) This section applies to every person to whom a pension is granted (whether before or after the passing of this Act) under the Principal Act or under that Act as amended by this Act or under this Act, and in this section every reference to a pension in relation to any such person shall be construed as a reference to the pension so granted to him.

(2) The continuance of the pension granted (otherwise than as a final grant within the meaning of section 6 of the Principal Act and the regulations made thereunder) to a person to whom this section applies shall be conditional on such person under going, whenever so required by the Minister, such medical examination or treatment or surgical operation as the Minister shall from time to time direct, and if any such person shall refuse or neglect to undergo when so required any such medical examination or treatment or surgical operation the pension granted to him may immediately on such refusal or neglect be absolutely terminated by the Minister if he so thinks proper.

(3) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, defray the cost of any medical examination or treatment or surgical operation undergone by direction of the Minister by a person to whom this section applies in a hospital, nursing home, or other like institution or in such person's home, and also the cost of the maintenance of such person while undergoing or while detained in any such institution for the purposes of such examination, treatment, or operation, and also any travelling or other expenses incurred in the travelling or conveyance of such person to or from any place for the purpose of any such examination, treatment, or operation.

(4) The Minister may increase by such amount as he shall think proper the pension of any person to whom this section applies while such person is undergoing any medical examination or treatment or surgical operation by direction of the Minister but in determining the amount of any such increase the Minister shall have regard to any national health insurance benefits or other benefits or grants of a like nature to which such person may be entitled, and the Minister may also when making such increase provide for the deduction from the increased pension of any sums payable in respect of the maintenance of such persons in any hospital, nursing home, or other like institution while detained therein for the purpose of such examination, treatment, or operation.

(5) The Minister may by regulations made under this Act prescribe the rules to be observed in any military hospital or in respect of any person to whom this section applies who is detained in such hospital by direction of the Minister for the purpose of undergoing any medical examination or treatment or surgical operation, the infliction of penalties for breaches of any such rule (including, in the case of breaches by the person so detained in such institution, removal from such institution or stoppage of pension) and the persons by whom such alleged breaches may be inquired into and by whom such penalties may be imposed.

(6) The Minister may, with the sanction of the Minister for Finance, and in accordance with regulations made under this Act with the consent of the Minister for Finance, defray out of moneys to be provided by the Oireachtas the funeral expenses of any person to whom this section applies who dies in any hospital, nursing home, or other like institution while detained therein by direction of the Minister for the purpose of undergoing any medical examination or treatment or surgical operation.