asked the Minister for Defence if he will cause to be advertised in three Irish daily papers the particulars of vocational training for wounded ex-members of the National Army, and if he is aware that in one hospital in Dublin there are eighteen wounded men who until recently were unaware that such training could be had?
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - VOCATIONAL TRAINING FOR DISABLED EX-SOLDIERS.
As already stated during the discussion here on the Vote for Army Pensions, it is not my intention to advertise particulars of vocational training for wounded ex-members of the National Forces. I have no information as to the eighteen wounded men referred to by the Deputy.
If I give the Minister particulars of the eighteen men in hospital at present who never heard of such a thing as vocational training until it was mentioned here on a question last week, will he send them the particulars?
Apparently the Deputy knows that these eighteen men are there. I think it is the duty of the men themselves to apply. The Deputy can convey the information to them, and if they make an application, it will be considered in the ordinary way.
The case I am making is not so much for these eighteen men as for other men similarly situated who have not heard of it. In view of the fact that these eighteen men in a Dublin hospital did not know of such a thing as vocational training, will the Minister not give others outside Dublin an opportunity of reading the particulars of vocational training that are probably pigeon-holed in some Government office?
In reply to Deputy Johnson, I stated that I would endeavour to formulate a scheme. There is no scheme at present. The case of everyone who applied, as I stated before, was considered, and we found that in a great many cases they were not suitable. If people apply, their cases will be considered, but I am at a loss to know who these eighteen wounded men in a Dublin hospital at present are. I do not know what hospital they are in. If the Deputy will tell me what hospital they are in and that they are wounded men from the Army——
The Minister said yesterday that there were eighteen men in St. Bricin's Hospital.
I know these eighteen men in St. Bricin's Hospital, but they are not the eighteen men that Deputy Byrne is speaking about.
I did not say they were not the same eighteen men. I do not want to give names of individuals at the moment, but if the Minister makes inquiries as to the knowledge of vocational training by these men he will learn something.
That is a different matter. I would like to know where are these eighteen wounded men in a Dublin hospital. We know that there are eighteen men in St. Bricin's Hospital for special purposes, but the eighteen men that the Deputy refers to are in a Dublin hospital.