asked the Minister for External Affairs if he will state what compensation, if any, is payable to the dependents of Irish persons killed in Britain during the recent war as a result of bombing raids.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dependents of Bomb Victims.
The compensation payable to the dependents of Irish persons who, while ordinarily resident in Great Britain or engaged in essential war work there, were killed as a result of bombing raids during the recent war is, I understand, the same as that payable to dependents of similar British casualties.
Could the Minister give the House some details of the rates of compensation paid to these dependents?
The compensation is tabled under an Order entitled The Personal Injuries (Civilian) Scheme, 1947, which was made on the 4th February, 1947. There are a number of conditions precedent in the Order, one of which is that the dependents should be incapable of self-support; another condition is that the dependents should be resident with the deceased prior to the death. The rates are as follows: In the case of a widow over 40 years, or who is an invalid, or who has one child 35/- per week; in the case of a widow with a child 15/- a week; in the case of a child who has lost both parents and who remains on the pension list after 15 because he is a student or apprentice the rate is 25/- a week; where the child is 18, or over, and infirm 26/- a week; in the case of a dependent parent 27/6 a week and 40/- a week in the case of two parents; in the case of dependents other than wives, children, or parents there is a varying scale. All these rates are the maximum allowances payable.