asked the Minister for Defence if he is aware that the family of an ex-member of the Irish Army were not informed of his death until two years later when they tried to contact him through the Army authorities on the death of his wife; and whether he will take steps to ensure that this type of situation does not recur.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Death of ex-Army Man.
53.
The person referred to by the Deputy was discharged from the Army in 1945 and was in receipt of a pension from my Department which was being paid to him at an English address. His death in 1966 was notified by a person resident at the same address and the usual forms were issued to the informant to enable the legal personal representative to claim the balance of pension. No further communication was received until 1968 when a member of deceased's family called to my Department and arrangements were then made to pay the balance due to the estate. Normally notification of the death of a pensioner is received from his next-of-kin but in this case it appears that the deceased was not in contact with his family in Ireland prior to his death. My Department had no way of knowing that this was the case.
Is the Minister aware that the matter to which I refer has been the subject of an article in an English Sunday newspaper in which the Minister's Department and the Army authorities came in for serious criticism? Is he not further aware what the feelings of distress, anxiety and dismay to which the family were subject are due to and does he not consider that the family should have been informed having regard to the fact that the ex-Army man's Irish address at Clonmel must surely have been known to the Army authorities? Does he not consider it a grave omission on the part of the Department that the family were not informed?
I am aware of a newspaper article and of criticism which I consider was most unfair. I do not see how the Department of Defence could know about this man's wife and family as he emigrated to England over 20 years ago. Another person from his address notified the Department of the pensioner's death. We had no method of knowing whether the man's wife was alive or not.
Surely the Minister's Department were aware of the man's home address?
Yes, when the man entered the Army and when he was discharged, that he had an address in Ireland. For the past 20 years we were not aware of anything in relation to his family.
May I take the reply to Question No. 106 as a written reply?
The Deputy may. The remaining Questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.