I move amendment No. 12:—
In page 8, Section 22 (3) before paragraph (e) to insert two new paragraphs as follows:—
"(c) where a person who was the holder of a qualifying post under an approved society was temporarily absent from such post and during the whole of such absence was engaged in service in any of the military forces serving under the authority of the First Dáil Eireann, the Second Dáil Eireann, or the Provisional Government of Ireland, or in the British Army, Navy, or Air Force, or in either of the opposing forces during the civil strife in the years 1922, 1923, 1924 or was interned or imprisoned in consequence of such service, the following provisions shall have effect for the purposes of this sub-section, that is to say:—
(i) such person shall be deemed during such temporary absence to have been the holder of a qualifying post under such approved society and the period of such temporary absence shall be reckoned as qualifying service accordingly, and
(ii) if such person resumed his position as the holder of a qualifying post under such approved society not later than six months after the expiration of the period of such temporary absence, no interval of time shall be deemed to have elapsed between such expiration and such resumption, and
(iii) if such person resumed his position as the holder of a qualifying post under such approved society within a reasonable time after the expiration of the period of such temporary absence and the delay in such resumption was due to wounds or illness attributable to such service, internment, or imprisonment, or to no vacancy being available in such society, no interval of time shall be deemed to have elapsed between such expiration and such resumption,
(d) where a person who was the holder of a qualifying post under an approved society was temporarily absent from such post during labour disputes connected with such society, such person shall for the purposes of this sub-section be deemed during such temporary absence to have been the holder of a qualifying post under such society and the period of such temporary absence shall be reckoned as qualifying service accordingly.
This is an amendment substantive to the amendment moved by Deputy Costello on the Committee Stage. The amendment preserves the continuity of employment in respect of any period of absence on service in the various forces. In the case of the period after discharge employment must be resumed within six months. In the case of persons owing to wounds or because of a vacancy not being available his resumption of employment must take place within a reasonable time. The period between discharge and resumption will not count as qualifying service. The amendment agrees in principle with the amendment moved by Deputy Costello with the addition of the suggestion made by Deputy Kelly with regard to labour disputes.