asked the Minister for Defence if he is aware that Private James Twomey, E 410422, of Grenagh, Blarney, County Cork, received on March 15th, 1941, a certificate of discharge which purports to show that his discharge from the Defence Forces was effected at Tralee on June 12th, 1940; whether he is aware that Mr. Twomey offered his services as a Volunteer and was attested in Collins Barracks, Cork, on June 12th, 1940, and that subsequent to that date he was never called up for service, that he was not put into uniform and was not at any time in Tralee where his discharge is alleged to have been effected on the day on which he attested in Cork; whether he will now state the reasons for this man's discharge, the reason why he was not called up after attestation and the cause of the delay in issuing to him the certificate of discharge.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Discharge from Defence Forces.
I am informed that Mr. James Twomey of Grenagh, Blarney, County Cork, completed a National Service Enrolment Form on the 8th June, 1940, and was called to Cork and attested there on the 12th idem. The question of calling him up for service did not arise in view of the fact that, on being attested, Mr. Twomey there and then became a member of the Forces under contract to serve for the duration of the present emergency. For training purposes he was posted to the 15th Infantry Battalion then stationed at Tralee, but owing to the considerable influx of recruits at that period it was not observed until some time afterwards that Mr. Twomey, instead of serving with his battalion, had in fact returned home after attestation, thereby rendering himself an absentee.
In these circumstances it was decided to discharge him with effect as from the date of enlistment, viz., the 12th June, 1940.
The discharge certificate was forwarded to the commanding officer of his battalion for subsequent transmission to him, and I understand that the delay in issuing the certificate was due to the number of recruits being dealt with during the period in question.
Is the Minister aware that Mr. Twomey attended on l2th June, 1940, at Collins Barracks, Cork, that he was interviewed by the commanding officer, and was told that there was a question of a commission for him owing to his services in the I.R.A. and also to the fact that he was a mechanic by trade? It was suggested by the commanding officer that he would not hear the result of this matter about the commission for ten days, and that he could go home in the meantime. The next thing he heard was on 15th March, when he received a letter dated l4th March discharging him from the Army. Does not the Minister think that there is something very peculiar about the attestation of Mr. Twomey? As a matter of fact he was not a day in the Army, and a certificate of his discharge was given from Tralee where he was never in residence, and it was certified that he was improperly enlisted. I think the Minister should look into the question again, because there seems to be something peculiarly wrong with the way in which Mr. Twomey has been treated in this matter.
I want to make it quite clear that there could be no question of Mr. Twomey or anybody else coming to a recruiting post and expecting to be regarded as a commissioned officer. That is not possible, and I think that the fact that he went there and attested implies that he was quite prepared to serve as a private soldier and take whatever chance there might be of getting promotion to officer's rank. As to the other matter about which the Deputy has inquired, I cannot say at the moment.
Will the Minister inquire further into this case?
I do not think there is any necessity for inquiry into the manner of Mr. Twomey's enlistment, but I shall inquire into the question of how it came about that he was sent out as being improperly enlisted. As a matter of fact, he was an absentee, and he could have been, and, in my opinion, should have been, dealt with under that category.
But is the Minister aware that Mr. Twomey had no objection to joining as a private soldier? He joined as a private soldier on the information that he got in Collins Barracks. It now appears that he was discharged because he had been improperly enlisted, but he has heard nothing more about the matter. Will the Minister look into it again?
Yes.
Does the Minister not think that a further inquiry is needed in so far as this man was enlisted and never reported for duty, and that apparently his absence was only discovered afterwards?
The Deputy must remember that at that particular period there was a very large influx of recruits. This man filled in Enrolment Form No. 1, and then went to the barracks and attested, and it appears that he left the barracks. It is quite possible-and I am sure the Deputy will understand this-for one man out of thousands to leave the barracks and go home and for his absence to be overlooked for some considerable period, but it was not overlooked eventually, and that is the main thing.