asked the Minister for Defence whether he has received repeated claims from and on behalf of Mrs. Margaret Donoghue, Rockview, Portlaoighise (Reference 52/a. P.B/189), for payment of pension for the death of her son (Capt. Edward Donoghue, A Coy., No. 1 Battalion, Leix Brigade, I.R.A.), and if he will state the reason for refusing to sanction payment of pension; whether he is aware that a prominent provincial medical officer, who attended deceased subsequent to his release from prison and up to the time of his death, is prepared to certify that deceased died as a direct result of hardship and illness contracted while on active service and in prison in Ireland and Scotland between 1920 and 1923: whether he is aware of the present destitute condition of this widow and her daughter and whether he will request the Pensions Board favourably to review their previous recommendation in this case.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Leix Pension Claim.
The application by Mrs. Margaret O'Donoghue, Rockview, Portlaoighise, Leix, for an award under the Army Pensions Act, 1932, in respect of the death of her son, Edward, was rejected because the Army Pensions Board reported that the death of deceased was due to disease not attributable to military service. Before issuing their report, the Board fully considered all the medical evidence submitted in connection with the case. The certified cause of death is "appendicitis, general peritonitis."
If, however, Mrs. O'Donoghue is in a position to produce evidence not already submitted, I will be prepared to have the case referred to the Board for further consideration in the light of such evidence.