To ask the Minister for Defence what arrangements are made by the Army Authorities in the case of mothers whose sons are serving in the National Army; whether it is the Minister's intention to give an allowance for maintenance of those mothers, and if so, how much, and in the event of the Government having a scheme for the above purpose is the Minister in a position to publish it, and will he see that the mothers, whose chief support were those sons who are now serving in the National Army, will not have to depend for their maintenance on the local rates, or on the generosity of their neighbours.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. - ALLOWANCE FOR SOLDIERS' MOTHERS.
SEAN O LAIDHIN
Allowances are payable to mothers who were partially dependent on unmarried sons when those sons enlisted. In such cases the amount of the allowances are at the rate of 7/-, 14/-, 21/-, and (in the case of officers) 28/- a week. The rate in any particular case is based on the financial loss sustained by the mother owing to her son's joining the Army and on the assumption that her son contributes at least one-third of his total Army pay to the support of herself and her family. These particulars will be published in orders for the information of the Army in the near future.