asked the Minister for Defence if he will state when the board which decides on Old I.R.A. pension applications will again sit in Waterford, and whether it will sit in Dungarvan.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old I.R.A. Pensions Board.
It is not possible at this stage to state when further sittings of the Referee and Advisory Committee and Board of Assessors will be held in Waterford, but they will be arranged as soon as circumstances permit, and the question as to whether sittings may be arranged at Dungarvan will then be determined.
asked the Minister for Defence if he will state (a) the number of members who comprised the pensions board, and the number of staff who attended on the board, that sat in Waterford City recently to hear Old I.R.A. pensions applications; (b) the total cost to the State, including travelling expenses, of the board members and staff for the period of hearing of cases in Waterford; and (c) the number of cases (i) heard in Waterford, (ii) turned down, and (iii) awarded pensions.
The information requested by the Deputy in connection with the recent hearings in Waterford of claims under the Military Service Pensions Acts, 1924-1949, is as follows:
(a) Claims under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1924, were heard by the Board of Assessors, consisting of three members, appointed under the terms of the 1924 Act, and claims under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934, were heard by the Referee and an Advisory Committee of four members, appointed under the terms of the 1934 Act. The Referee and two members of the Advisory Committee perform the functions of the Board of Assessors. A staff of two was in attendance.
(b) The cost amounted to £375 approximately, which included salaries, travelling and subsistence allowances.
(c) (i) Number of cases heard, 90; (ii) number of unfavourable reports, 56; (iii) number of favourable reports, 29. Five cases have still to be decided.