asked the Minister for Defence why, in relation to a veteran of the War of Independence (name supplied) in Dublin who has applied for free travel and other concessions, his Department will not accept alternative testimony to the effect that the man's service medal (1917-1921) was duly awarded to him, since both officers of the Fianna Éireann unit in which he served are long since deceased.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Old IRA Veterans.
79.
The person in question claims to have been a member of a Fianna Éireann Slua at Clones, County Monaghan. I have considered all the relevant facts put forward in support of his claim to membership but I am not satisfied, on the evidence, that a Fianna Éireann Slua functioned in the Clones area during the critical period of three months which ended on the 11th July, 1921. In the circumstances, the medal cannot be held to have been duly awarded, and consequently, the applicant is not eligible for the free travel etc. concessions which are available to veterans of the War of Independence.
Would the Minister not agree that so many certifying officers are now dead that it does seem a little odd that years after a medal has been awarded somebody in his Department will decide that it was not correctly awarded, knowing well that the people who gave evidence in favour of the award are dead, and their evidence cannot be repeated?
That is true but extensive inquiries and investigations have been made in this case and in all cases like it. All we want is to be satisfied that, in fact, a Fianna Éireann Slua did exist and we have no evidence that it did exist at Clones.
Were not extensive inquiries made before the medal was awarded? Does not the Minister agree that, in odd cases like this where there is so little at stake so far as the State is concerned and so much at stake so far as the reputation of an old soldier of the Republican Army is involved, it is a desperate thing to take up the attitude adopted in this case?
In fact, we are lenient in our approach and attitude towards medal applicants.
I take issue with the Minister. I do not think his Department are lenient. According to the evidence I have they are anything but lenient. It is a disgrace to these old men that somebody at this stage should try to discredit the fact that they were men who fought for the freedom of the country.
80.
asked the Minister for Defence if he will reconsider immediately the cases of the small number of Old IRA (Final) Disability Pensioners as their present degree of disability with advancing years and rapid deterioration of health will prove that they are fully disabled compared to when they were examined by the Army Pensions Medical Board over 30 years ago; and if he will consider (a) the grant of full disability pension to widows of disabled pensioners and (b) the grant of full hospital medical service and medicine to all disabled pensioners.
I have under consideration the question of amending the Army Pensions Acts to provide for the review of all final wound and disability pensions which cannot be reviewed under existing legislation.
Where a disablement pensioner dies while in receipt of a pension which is based on a degree of disability of 50 per cent or more, the Acts provide for the grant of an allowance to his widow, irrespective of the cause of his death. It is not proposed to amend the Acts so that the widow of a disablement pensioner may receive the disability pension which was payable to her husband.
Under the Acts hospital and medical treatment can be provided only in the case of pensioners who are in receipt of temporary awards of pension. The extension of such treatment to persons in receipt of final awards of pension is not contemplated.