asked the Minister for Defence if he will state on what grounds ex-Private Thomas Burke (421946), 20th Battalion, Colehill, Abbeyshrule, County Longford, stationed at Athlone, who served five years and 30 days in the Army, was refused a gratuity.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ex-Soldier's Gratuity.
Ex-Private Thomas Burke, Army No. 421946, 20th Battalion, enlisted in the Defence Forces on the 2nd August, 1940, and was discharged under sub-paragraph 58 (1) of Defence Force Regulation A.10 on the 17th October, 1945. A gratuity is not payable to a non-commissioned officer or man discharged in accordance with the sub-paragraph mentioned.
I see from this man's discharge that he had four years' satisfactory service in the Army. There is a medical certificate from the doctor who attended him while he was serving in Athlone. That doctor is now the medical officer in the district in which the man resides. If I submit this further information to the Minister, will he reconsider this case?
All that I can say is that the Deputy must be misinformed if he means to stand over the statement that he has just made.