asked the Minister for Defence if he will state (1) how many cases under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934, now await decision, (2) how many cases were finally decided during the six months ended 31st December, 1940; and if he will explain how there has been such a slowing down of late in the matter of deciding applications.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Military Service Pensions Act.
(1) The number of applications under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934, in respect of which the referee has not reached decision is 10,559. (2) The number of applications finally decided and in respect of which the referee completed his report during the six months ended 31st December, 1940, was 8,355. It is not agreed that there has been any slowing down of late in the matter of deciding applications.
asked the Minister for Defence when Patrick Cosgrove, of Crossbane, Newbliss, County Monaghan, may expect to hear the decision of his application for a pension under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934.
Owing to the failure of the Brigade Committee concerned to supply particulars which have been requested, the referee has not yet been able to complete his report on the application made under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934, by Mr. Patrick Cosgrove, Crossbane, Newbliss, County Monaghan. I am not, therefore, in a position to state when a decision will be notified to the applicant.
Can anything be done to expedite the provision of this information by the parties responsible for giving it?
Yes. The board is continually writing. They write to them, I think, every couple of months, notifying them of the fact that they are still awaiting that information.
There is no other means of compelling these people?
There is no means that I know of other than the applicant himself trying to influence these people to answer the inquiry.