asked the Minister for Finance if he will state why letters relating to a claim of a Mr. Thomas Fitzgerald, of Skehanarinky, Clogheen, Co. Tipperary, for moneys paid as a fine to British troops in the pre-Truce period, and addressed by me to the Secretary, Department of Finance, on 25th July, 1925, 19th September, 1925, and 29th December, 1925, were not answered by that Department; whether he is aware that complaints have been made that letters addressed to his Department frequently remain unanswered, and if he will state what steps will be taken to rectify such matters.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - REPLIES TO DEPARTMENTAL LETTERS.
The claim referred to by the Deputy was considered by the Compensation (Ireland) Commission early in 1923, and ruled by them to be outside the scope of their terms of reference. I assume that the Commission duly notified the claimant of their decision.
The Deputy's letter of the 25th July, 1925, enclosed a communication from Mr. Fitzgerald in which he made a further and distinct claim. This second claim was referred by my Department to the Committee set up under the Indemnity Act, 1924. The Committee inform me that, prima facie, the case is one in which they would normally make no recommendation, but that in any event they are precluded from considering the question by reason of the fact that the claim was not lodged within the period prescribed by the Act. The letter of the 19th September, 1925, is not on the file dealing with the case, and cannot be traced.
The Committee will issue an official notification to the claimant in due course, but the issue of such notices has been advisedly deferred in favour of more urgent claims which were lodged with Committee in proper time.
The Committee further inform me that the Deputy's letter of the 29th December, 1925, is on record, and they regret that, owing to pressure of work, it has remained unanswered so long. As regards the question of replies to letters addressed to my Department, the practice is to send formal acknowledgements immediately upon receipt of correspondence in all cases in which it appears that a full reply on all points cannot be issued promptly. As regards the cases in which the Deputy has had cause for complaint on this head, I would say that the particular branch concerned has been under severe pressure of work for some considerable time past and it has not been possible to give full effect to these instructions. Every effort is, however, being made to comply with them.