asked the Minister for Defence when the pensions board will hear claims for military service pensions from members of the Old I.R.A. in Counties Laoighis and Offaly, and if he will arrange for an early hearing in both counties in order that outstanding cases may be disposed of.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Military Service Pensions.
The arranging of sessions for the hearing of claims for military service pensions is primarily a matter for the Referee and for the board of assessors. The question of arranging hearings in Laoighis and Offaly will be considered by them in due course. Meanwhile, no indication can be given as to when it will be possible to arrange hearings in these counties.
asked the Minister for Defence if he will state if all or any of the applications received under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1949, have been formally acknowledged to the applicants by his Department.
In the early stages of the administration of the Military Service Pensions (Amendment) Act, 1949, it was the practice to issue acknowledgments in respect of applications received, but the volume of these applications became so great that this practice was terminated in order to obviate any delay in submitting the claims to the Referee or to the board of assessors for consideration.
Is the Minister aware that this has caused considerable inconvenience to applicants for pensions under the 1949 Act? I am aware of one applicant who did apply and who assumed his application was in order, who waited for an acknowledgment, but who has since died. His next-of-kin are now informed that his application was not in order and, consequently, they are not able to correct the details, as a result of which hardship is likely to arise. Surely it is a most unusual practice on the part of a Department not to acknowledge applications?
Further arising out of the Minister's reply, would he not consider it undesirable not to send an acknowledgment in respect of these applications, as in a great many cases the applicant's claim depends upon his having sent in an application within the prescribed time? The acknowledgment he receives from the Department is the only evidence which the applicant has that his claim has been made within the prescribed time. If the applicant does not receive an acknowledgment he is then unable to prove that he applied within the prescribed period.
I can well realise that it would be much better if the sending of acknowledgments had been continued but, as I mentioned in the course of my reply, the staff were overwhelmed with the influx of applications. For that reason, and in order to expedite their reference to the Referee and the board of assessors the practice of sending acknowledgments was not continued. If by any chance an applicant who has not received an acknowledgment is in any doubt about whether his application is in order or not, if he would apply to the Department I would undertake to ensure that he would get an acknowledgment by return. The only alternative to that — and I would be quite prepared to have the Department undertake it — would be to go through something like 15,000 or 17,000 applications and endeavour to find out what they had acknowledged and what they had not acknowledged. It would be an overwhelming task, but if applicants would apply to the Department in order to ensure whether their applications were in order or not, I would undertake to have their inquiry replied to immediately.
These acknowledgments are printed forms. All that has to be done is to fill in the date and the address of the applicant.
Could the Minister say what was the estimated period which was assumed would be saved by not sending these acknowledgments and whether that period was in fact saved in each case?
That would be more or less hypothetical. I cannot say whether any time was saved at all or not, but I am quite prepared to admit it was a wrong attitude generally and that it would be much better for all concerned if acknowledgments had been sent out.
Would the Minister indicate in what year this procedure was adopted?
(Interruptions.)
When the inter-Party Government was in office.
In 1949.