asked the Minister for Defence whether National Army men recently discharged, or those about to be demobilised, received, or will receive, a month's pay and ration allowance on discharge, and if any steps have been taken to put such men into benefit so as to enable them to secure unemployment insurance benefit when unemployed.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - DISCHARGED SOLDIERS—QUESTION OF ALLOWANCE.
The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative.
As regards the second part of the question, military service is not an insurable occupation, and contributions are therefore not paid in respect of it. Special contributions were, however. provided for the Unemployment Insurance Acts of 1923 and 1924 for men who gave periods of service up to the 29th June, 1924, about which date demobilisation had ceased, and who had been in insurable employment for a certain time prior to joining the Army. I would refer the Deputy to Sections 7 and 4 of those Acts respectively. Soldiers now taking their discharges who have rights under those sections are being credited with contributions accordingly.
Is the Minister aware of cases where young men joined the army two or three years ago with ten, or perhaps twelve, stamps to their credit and are now time-expired and have come out of the army without any stamped card and are not entitled to any benefits, and that they have been refused those benefits?
As far as my Department is concerned, we can only administer the law as it stands.
Is the Minister aware that those men were in insurable occupations before joining the army?
If the men joined the army before June, 1924, any sums to which they were entitled are credited to that period.