asked the Minister for Defence whether he will provide more adequate compensation than the £150 tendered for the widowed mother of the late Lieutenant MacLoughlin, killed in the course of his duty, in view of the fact that his death leaves his mother, who was dependent on him, virtually without means of subsistence, she having been in receipt of £3 per week from her son regularly prior to his joining the Army and of about £2 10s. 0d. per week during his period of service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Compensation for Officer's Mother.
Provision is made in the Army Pensions Acts for the payment of compensation to the parent of a deceased officer only where such officer died prior to the 1st October, 1924. The total amount of gratuity which may be granted under the 1923-27 Acts, in such circumstances, shall not exceed £150. Mrs. MacLoughlin's claim did not fall for consideration under the Acts, but having regard to the circumstances of her case, I have had her claim specially considered on the basis laid down in these Acts and an ex-gratia award of the maximum amount payable thereunder, viz., £150, has been made to her. I regret that an increased award cannot be made to her.
Is the Minister aware that, when this country asked for expert technicians to come and help in the country's defence, the late Lieutenant MacLoughlin left a good job in England, where he was earning £5 or £6 a week, and came home; that he was the sole support of a widowed mother; that in the course of his duty he got killed, and that that woman, whose son came home to help this country, is now left a pauper? If her son had been killed by a motor car, under the ordinary law she could have sued the owner of the motor car and got something analogous to what that boy had been paying her and would have continued to pay her throughout her life. Does the Minister believe that any section of this Oireachtas wants to see that woman put into the county home in County Louth because her son came home to serve the country? If he does not believe that, will he take some steps by special resolution, legislation or in some other way, to ensure that the reward for throwing up a job in England and coming home to help your country in an emergency will not be that your mother will be thrown into the workhouse if you happen to die in the course of duty?
That is another phase of the case. I have stated the facts as they are.
Does the Minister believe that any Deputy in this House wants these facts to remain as they are? Will the Minister introduce a Financial Resolution or something to enable us to say that we have not rewarded that type of patriotism by throwing the dead man's mother into the workhouse? Will the Minister consider consulting with the Minister for Finance to see whether a plan cannot be devised to remove that slur from this House?
I shall look into it.