asked the Minister for Defence whether he is aware that Mrs. Mary Collatin, 5 Rowan Terrace, Droichead Nua, Co. Kildare, has been requested to refund a sum of £7 16s. 0d., alleged to have been overdrawn in dependents allowance in respect of the Army service of her husband, Sergeant Michael Collatin, No. 14434, Army Corps of Engineers; further, whether the statement of account issued to Mrs. Collatin from the Dependents Allowance Branch, Army Pay Corps, Portobello Barracks, on the 14th October, 1924, gives the date of payment of dependents allowance as beginning on the 20th August, 1922, instead of the 3rd July, 1922, the date on which her husband attested in Naas Barracks, and whether he will order payment of the difference, £9 12s. 0d., plus £4 10s. 0d., already deducted and due to Mrs. Collatin.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - REPAYMENT OF DEPENDENT'S ALLOWANCE.
I regret that Mrs. Collatin was incorrectly informed that an overpayment of £7 16s. 0d. had been made to her in respect of dependents allowance. A cheque for £4 10s. was sent to her yesterday to clear the amount which she had already refunded.
The statement of account referred to by the Deputy included only payments made to her direct from the Dependents Allowance Branch of the Department of Defence in Portobello Barracks. Generally speaking, allowances were paid in this way only from about the end of August, 1922. Previously they were ordinarily issued, not directly to dependents, but to soldiers themselves. The question arises, therefore, as to whether the allowance in respect of Mrs. Collatin was not paid to her husband during the period from the 3rd July, 1922, to the 20th August, 1922. It is being enquired into, and I will communicate the result to the Deputy in due course.