asked the Minister for Finance if he will state why repeated communications of mine addressed to his Department relative to the claim of Mrs. MacDermott, Killeshandra, for compensation for bedding supplied to Volunteers and afterwards taken over by the National Army, and the claim of Mrs. McGahern, Killeshandra, for meat supplied at the same time, as well as the matter of a number of claims for compensation for the dismantling of motor cars by orders of the British Authorities, have been continually ignored; if he will state when these claims will be paid, and if he will take immediate steps to hasten same.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - KILLESHANDRA COMPENSATION CLAIMS.
It is much regretted that any communications from the Deputy should have remained unanswered. The two claims have actually been considered by the Indemnity Act Committee and will be discharged at a very early date.
Correspondence relating to claims for compensation in respect of the dismantling of motor cars should have been addressed to the Compensation (Ireland) Commission, whose awards in a number of such cases will shortly be published in Iris Oifigiúil and discharged without avoidable delay after publication.
Is not the Minister aware that I addressed communications to him, and that to these communications I have not as yet received replies? Were there not three or four communications addressed to him on that subject by me?
The Deputy was replied to, and I have got a copy here of the answer that was sent to him; but we received no reply from the Deputy to that communication.
Does the Minister state he did not receive a further letter on the subject from me?
I have no trace of a further letter from the Deputy. I have had only one letter from him on this matter, and to that letter a reply was sent asking for further information.
And the Deputy sent it on.
It has not been received.
Well, I sent it.
As a matter of fact, the Deputy's first communications were apparently addressed to the Compensation Commission, which is not a branch of the Government at all. The case was not within the purview of the Compensation Commission, and perhaps that is how the difficulty arose.
Will the Minister state when it is intended that payment will be made in respect of these two claims, Mrs. MacDermott's and Mrs. McGahern's?
I have already stated that they will be discharged at a very early date.