asked the Minister for Finance if he has received an application from Edward Davin, Clonmeen, Errill, Ballybrophy, Leix, for the return of a gun valued at £15 taken from him by members of the Irish Volunteers in February, 1920; if he is now in a position to trace and return it to its owner, or state what amount he is prepared to pay as compensation for loss of same.
WRITTEN ANSWERS. - CLAIMS FOR FIREARMS.
The claim referred to by the Deputy is among those transferred to my Department from the Department of Defence for reference to the Indemnity Act Committee. As it is practically certain that the gun cannot be traced, the claim will in due course be considered by the Committee with a view to the payment of reasonable compensation.
asked the Minister for Finance if he has received repeated applications from Mr. J. Robson, Meelick, Portlaoighise, Leix, for the return of a double-barrelled, breech-loading shot-gun, which was taken from him by members of the Irish Volunteers in October, 1921; if same has been traced and when it will be returned to the owner, or if he can now state what compensation he is prepared to pay for loss of same.
There is no trace in my Department of the repeated applications to which the Deputy refers, but a claim on behalf of the person named is among those transferred from the Department of Defence for reference to the Committee set up under the Indemnity Act, 1924. It is practically certain that the gun cannot be traced, but I am unable to fix any figure for compensation until I have received the report of the Indemnity Act Committee on the claim.
asked the Minister for Finance if he has received repeated applications from Daniel FitzPatrick, Archerstown, Durrow, Leix, for the return of a single-barrel ejector gun (No. A/27639), surrendered by him to the Irish Volunteers on August 22nd, 1920; whether he is in a position to return the gun, or if he can now state what compensation he is prepared to pay for loss of same.
I am informed by the Indemnity Act Committee that the claim referred to by the Deputy was first lodged with them on the 3rd April, 1925, that is, more than five months after the expiration of the period prescribed by the Act for the lodgment of such claims. The Committee have, therefore, no power to consider the claim unless it can be shown to have been lodged with a Government Department prior to the 1st November, 1924.