Deputy Killilea has given me notice of a statement which he wishes to make to the House.
Personal Explanation by a Deputy.
A most slanderous statement was made against me here and is recorded in the Official Report of the Debates of this House in Volume 133, dated Tuesday, 23rd instant. Deputy Collins is reported as having stated: "You shot off your toe on the eve of a pension". This slander is published in a number of Irish and cross-Channel papers, leaving me in the unfortunate position of having no redress. I ask, Sir, to be given this opportunity of putting it on record that I received this, which was only my first wound, while I was on active service against the Black-and-Tans with my active service unit of the South Mayo Brigade on the 5th May, 1921. There was then no question of pensions. I was called to St. Bricin's Hospital, where I was operated on, on the 6th October, 1924, and had further treatment there on the 6th February, 1925. Official records can bear this out. It is not, therefore, true, as stated by Deputy Collins, that I shot off my toe on the eve of a pension. I would ask Deputy Collins to withdraw his statement, as that is the only redress—and little redress it is—that I have.
In regard to the statement made by Deputy Killilea, I candidly admit that in the heat of interrupted exchanges I may have made use of a remark that transgressed against the decorum of the House and made a sort of personal reflection on Deputy Killilea. I have no hesitation in unqualifiedly withdrawing it.