asked the Minister for Defence whether he has received a demand from brigade areas for a public sworn inquiry into the administration of the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934, and asking that all verifying officers and Brigade Committees be abolished and all claims dealt with by the legal advisers appointed by the Old I.R.A. Comrades' Association in each brigade area; further, whether he has received a communication on March 6th from the Executive Secretary of the Old I.R.A. Comrades' Association relative to these demands, and if he will state why no reply has issued to the latter communication, and what are his intentions concerning the proposals.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Military Service Pensions.
I have received from various brigade areas requests in the terms outlined in the first part of the Deputy's question. The communication of the 6th March was received on the 7th March and was acknowledged on the following day.
I do not propose to order a public sworn inquiry into the administration of the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934, nor do I propose to interfere with the operations of the Referee in the matter.
Is it not a fact that since the new Dáil has assembled, people who got the Referee's word that they were not people to whom the Act applied, have since been granted pensions?
Any of these who have got such a notice can appeal against that decision. An appeal is always open to them and the Referee is always prepared to re-examine their cases if they produce evidence not already available at the first sitting.
I think that the Minister mis-heard the Deputy saying that they have received pensions since the re-assembly of the Dáil. Surely, they would not appeal against that.
Yes, there has been such an appeal.