asked the Minister for Defence if he is in a position to state how long the Tribunal set up under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934, will be engaged investigating claims; if he will state the number of claims lodged and how many have been completely examined up to February 1st, 1936; how many pensions have been granted in each grade, and if he will also state when it is proposed that the Tribunal shall visit provincial centres to investigate claims, and, further, how many claims from County Galway have been examined.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Military Service Pensions.
Owing to the number of applications received, I am not in a position to state at this stage how long the investigation of claims will take. The number of claims received is 50,515. The number examined up to the 31st January, 1936, is 2,400. The number of pensions granted in each grade is as follows:—Grade A, 10; Grade B, 11; Grade C, 78; Grade D, 295; Grade E, 565. It is not possible to state now when it will be necessary for the Referee and Advisory Committee to visit provincial centres to investigate claims. The number of claims from County Galway examined is 46.
Mr. Brodrick
Arising out of the Minister's reply, seeing the number of applications that have been received under this Act and the small number that has been dealt with, is it not possible for the Minister to decide whether he will have courts in the provincial centres, or are claimants in remote districts to be put to the expense of coming up to Dublin, or is the whole Act really a hoax?
The question of the sittings of the Committee is a matter for the Referee.
Mr. Brodrick
Has not the Minister power under the Act to order courts to be set up in provincial centres?
The Referee is the authority to decide where the meetings should best be held.
asked the Minister for Defence whether his attention has been called to a resolution adopted by the 3rd Tipperary Brigade Old I.R.A. Comrades' Association demanding an amendment of the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934, and whether it is his intention to introduce proposals for the purpose of amending this in the manner indicated by the association referred to.
The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second does not, therefore, arise.