asked the Minister for Defence if he would be prepared to reconsider claims in respect of disease disability disallowed under the Army Pensions Act, 1927, in cases in which the applicants were members of active service units prior to the Truce and were certified by the Army Pensions Board to be totally disabled.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pre-Truce Disability Claims.
Seán Ua Guilidhe
It appears that the proposal made in the question is that pensions should be given in every case in which a man was a member of an active service unit and is now totally disabled. The Act requires more than this. It requires that the disablement (80 per cent. disablement) must be due to service in the Volunteers.
I do not know if the Deputy has any particular cases in mind. If he has, I must assume that if service in the Volunteers within the meaning of the Act was proved and total disablement certified, the failure to obtain a pension must be due to failure to prove that the disability is attributable to such service.
Is the Minister not aware that the inherent disability in many cases has been accentuated by the activities of these men during the period, and are they not going to get any consideration?
That is outside the Act.