asked the Minister for Defence whether he is aware that dependant's allowance has not been paid to Mrs. C. Terrell, Tubber Road, Moate, in respect of her son, Volunteer Patrick Terrell, who joined the National Army on July 19th, 1922, that prior to enlisting this Volunteer contributed 30s. per week towards his mother's upkeep; and that, as Mrs. Terrell is now destitute, with a family of four children under 15 years of age, will the Minister see that this claim receives immediate attention.
[ WRITTEN ANSWERS. ] - DEPENDANTS' ALLOWANCES.
The claim of Mrs. Terrell, who was partially supported by her son Patrick, was, after due investigation disallowed, on the ground that the extent of dependence which, in the case of an unmarried soldier is taken to be the amount normally contributed by him to his home over and above the cost (if any) of his own maintenance therein for a reasonable period prior to his enlistment, was less than the minimum required by regulations, that is to say, 12s. per week, before an allowance may be issued. It appears that when last employed prior to enlistment he was boarded and lodged by his employer, and gave his mother about 6s. a week.
It should be stated that the regulations governing the matter are based on the recognition of an obligation on the part of an unmarried soldier to contribute to the support of his dependants a reasonable portion of his Army pay, this portion being calculated as 8s. per week in the case of a soldier receiving ordinary rates of pay.
asked the Minister for Defence whether he is aware that no dependent's allowance has been granted to Mrs. Annie Molloy, Mulocklowe, Ballymore, Westmeath, in respect of her son, Volunteer Edward Molloy, who joined the National Army on March 1st, 1922, and is now stationed in Roscommon; further, is he aware that this Volunteer, irrespective of his allowance for maintenance, contributed 25s. per week towards his mother's support, and that, as she has a family of seven young children to rear, and as her husband is unemployed, will the Minister see this claim receives immediate attention.
No application appears to have been received from Mrs. Molloy, but on the information conveyed in the question a claim has been prepared, and is receiving attention.
asked the Minister for Defence whether he is aware that dependant's allowance has not been granted to Mrs. Kate O'Connor in respect of her son, Volunteer Joseph O'Connor, who joined the National Army on May 4th, 1922, and was on January 16th last stationed at Foxford Barracks, Mayo; further, if he is aware that this Volunteer, prior to enlisting, was for four months engaged on Volunteer Police duty; that he was subsequently employed as a railway worker, and that he was in receipt of a salary of 50s. per week, which he contributed to his mother for her support. In view of this, will he see that this claim receives attention.
No application appears to have been received from Mrs. O'Connor, but on the information conveyed in the question, the case is receiving attention.
asked the Minister for Defence to state why undertakings, given by him in the Dáil in February, and by the Dependant's Allowance Branch, Army Pay Corps, on March 28th, with respect to payment of allowance on behalf of Volunteer Laurance Collins, of Drogheda, No. 20,171, at Gormanstown Camp, have not yet been fulfilled, and to state when this allowance and arrears will be paid.
A cheque for £27 16s. 0d. was sent to Mrs. Collins on the 23rd February, in respect of arrears of the allowance up to about that date. It is regretted that the papers relating to the case were then mislaid. They have recently been found and the allowance will now be paid regularly.