Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 11 Mar 1953

Vol. 137 No. 1

Committee on Finance. - Connaught Rangers (Pensions) Bill, 1953—Second Stage.

Minister for Defence (Mr. Traynor)

I move that the Bill be now read a Second Time. The Connaught Rangers (Pensions) Act, 1936, provided for the payment of pensions, gratuities and allowances to and in respect of former members of the 1st Battalion, Connaught Rangers, who joined the mutiny which took place in India in 1920 and who, as a result, were sentenced by general courtmartial to death, penal servitude or imprisonment for a period of 12 months or more.Pensions payable under the Act are of three types—service pensions, wound pensions and disability pensions.

At the present time, there are 29 former Connaught Rangers who are in receipt of service pensions and one has a disability pension. No wound pensions or dependents' allowances are now being paid, nor will any such be payable in the future as the conditions of the Act of 1936 governing them can no longer arise.

The main purpose of the present Bill, therefore, is to increase, as from the 1st January, 1953, the amounts of the pensions at present being paid, and, as all these pensions are less than £100 a year, the proposed rate of increase is 50 per cent. which is the appropriate rate, having regard to the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1950, and the Military Service Pensions (Amendment) Bill, 1953. The provision in this regard is contained in Section 2 of the Bill.

The Act of 1936 provided for a system of abatement of Connaught Rangers' pensions by reference to receipts from public funds, similar to that which applies under the Military Service Pensions Acts. As in the case of those Acts, it is now proposed to discontinue abatement as from the 1st January, 1953, and Section 3 of the Bill provides accordingly.

That disposes of the Bill itself, but I am happy to be able to inform the House that it has been decided to make Connaught Rangers pensioners eligible for special allowances in the same way as, and at the rates and under the conditions applicable to, former members of the Old I.R.A. Provision to that effect will be made in the forthcoming Army Pensions Bill. I feel sure that this proposal, as well as the provisions of the present Bill, will meet with the full approval of the House.

Mr. McMenamin

How many of these men are remaining?

Mr. Traynor

Twenty-nine.

Mr. McMenamin

What are their average pensions?

Mr. Traynor

I could not really say at the moment.

Captain Cowan

I welcome this Bill and I think it will be welcomed by the House generally. The substantial increase of 50 per cent. in pensions will be appreciated by members of the Connaught Rangers who are entitled to a pension. The decision to remove the abatement, in accordance with the recent decisions in connection with military service pensions, will also be welcomed, but I think that the best aspect of the legislation is the provision whereby these men will be eligible for the special allowance. I think the Minister is dealing with this matter in a generous way and that the improvement which he brings about by this Bill will be welcomed by ex-members of the Connaught Rangers and by the House generally. When we do get an opportunity of congratulating a Minister on bringing in legislation of this kind, I think we should avail of it.

Mr. O'Donnell

I join with the last speaker in congratulating the Minister on introducing this Bill. I also welcome the Bill which I think is a very good measure but what a pity that we cannot do for the veterans of 1916-21 what we are now proposing to do for the ex-Connaught Rangers who mutinied in India. We do not grudge the increase to those who are going to benefit by this Bill but, as I said some weeks ago, we should also try to implement the Military Service Pensions Acts by providing these pensions for the men who enabled us to obtain the quantum of freedom which we now enjoy. As I have already said this State owes so much, if I might quote somebody else, to so few that we should make a serious effort to make the situation of these brave Irishmen at least comfortable for the remainder of their days. The number of the veterans of 1916-21 is dwindling from year to year. Year after year their numerical strength is decreasing and I would appeal to the Minister in his generosity to do for them what he now proposes doing for ex-members of the Connaught Rangers. We, country Deputies particularly, know all the disadvantages from which ex-I.R.A. men are suffering.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

TheDeputy is proceeding to discuss I.R.A. pensions on a Connaught Rangers (Pensions) Bill. The Deputy must relate his remarks to the Bill before the House.

Mr. O'Donnell

With the greatest respect, I am relating my remarks to the Bill before the House. I am merely congratulating the Minister on giving certain privileges to certain classes of men who did something for the liberation of the country and I appeal to him——

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

That is all that is before the House—the Connaught Rangers (Pensions) Bill. The Deputy will get an opportunity later of raising the points he wishes to raise in regard to I.R.A. pensions.

Mr. O'Donnell

With respect, I am also comparing the plight of certain others with that of the ex-Connaught Rangers who are going to benefit under the Bill. It was merely for the purposes of comparison that I introduced the question of increased pensions for the I.R.A.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

The Chair has allowed the Deputy to do that and I think he should now relate his remarks to the Bill before the House.

Mr. O'Donnell

Out of respect of the Chair, I shall not proceed further.

General MacEoin

The Minister has done very well in introducing this Bill. I think the ex-Connaught Rangers who will be affected by the Bill could be described as members of the I.R.A., because it was as part of the activities of that organisation that they mutinied. That was the intention behind it, although they had not been sworn as members.

Mr. Hickey

We appreciate what was done.

General MacEoin

What they have done is appreciated. While it was positive action to a certain extent, I do not think, with all due respect, that any Connaught Ranger rendered as valuable service as the most insignificantvolunteer here in this country. That is not to belittle them either, but I assert that the service rendered by any member of the I.R.A. was at least equal to the service rendered by these particular people. I am glad the Minister is taking this step, and I welcome it just as an indication of his intentions for the future.

Mr. Traynor

I am grateful to Deputies who have spoken for their appreciative references to the line which we have taken in this Bill. I want to inform Deputy O'Donnell, in reply to the remarks which he made, that we are doing for the I.R.A. exactly what we are doing for the ex-Connaught Rangers. Actually, this Bill is fashioned on the I.R.A. Pensions Bill, which, I am glad to tell the House, has passed through all stages in the Seanad, and will, I hope, become law in the course of a week or so.

Mr. O'Donnell

My suggestion was that the Minister should give the same increase to I.R.A. pensioners as he is giving under the Bill for the Connaught Rangers.

Mr. Traynor

We are doing that.

Mr. O'Donnell

Only in certain classes.

Mr. Traynor

The class that is benefiting as a result of this Bill is the same as that which is benefiting by the same percentage under the other Bill.

Mr. O'Donnell

I understood that all ex-Connaught Rangers had equal pensions.

Captain Cowan

They are less than £100 a year.

Mr. O'Donnell

That is what I understood—and that you are giving a 50 per cent. increase. Are we giving a 50 per cent. increase to all I.R.A. pensioners under £100?

Mr. Traynor

Yes.

General MacEoin

To give 50 per cent. of an increase to a fellow with a pension of £6 10s. a year is not the same as to give a 50 per cent. increaseon £100. It is the same principle but it is a different figure.

Question put and agreed to.

Agreed to take the remaining stages now.