asked the Minister for Defence if he will state whether he has received an application and an appeal under the Military Pensions Acts from Mr. Laurence Dunne, Ballyfin Road, Portlaoighise, County Laoighis; whether (1) the local brigade officer of the Old I.R.A. was requested to give evidence in connection with the application and/or appeal, and (2) whether certain named senior Army and Garda officers were invited, as requested by applicant; to furnish evidence in support of the appeal, or if he will state why the appeal was rejected without hearing evidence from the officers concerned.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Military Pension Application.
Laurence Dunne, Ballyfin Road, Portlaoighise, made application under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934, and when notified by the Referee of his finding that he was not a person to whom the Act applied, appealed against this finding. Local brigade officers of the applicant's former brigade (I.R.A.), who were nominated by him, were summoned and gave evidence to the Referee and Advisory Committee on the application. They were not summoned again in connection with the appeal. No senior Army or Garda officers were named by the applicant as witnesses in support of his appeal. The Referee and Advisory Committee fully considered the appeal and, on the evidence before them, did not deem it necessary to summon any further witnesses.