asked the Minister for Defence if he will explain the circumstances under which a person in County Kildare (name supplied) who had special qualifications for the Naval Service and who incurred a substantial loss by resigning from his previous permanent employment and by initiating the sale of his house in order to move to Cork as requested and who was examined, found to be suitable and fully attested, was subsequently informed after a period of intensive training that he had not been properly appointed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Naval Service Applicant.
117.
The person in question had been discharged from the armed forces of another country on the grounds of physical unfitness and under Defence Force Regulations was in consequence ineligible for enlistment in the permanent Defence Force.
I am having the circumstances of the person's enlistment investigated.
Arising out of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, on the eve of the adjournment all he can tell me is that he is having this case investigated, without giving any indication whatsoever as to what this individual is to do in the meantime, what he is to live on, or anything about the circumstances under which he was appointed to this position and then discharged in a manner which would indicate to his neighbours that there was something wrong. The man was fully and properly appointed. The officers in charge knew exactly from his discharge book from the armed forces of another country that he had been discharged on health grounds. Yet, he was accepted on his explanation as to what took place on that occasion. He was taken into the armed forces here and, at the end of a crash course, it was decided that the thing was irregular and he was discharged as not having been properly appointed. I would ask the Parliamentary Secretary to indicate now what action will be taken.
This is clearly a very unfortunate case and those of us who understand the background have great sympathy with the individual involved. It would appear that the Army directed this man to take whatever action was necessary. It was suggested, for instance, that the Naval Service was responsible for this man selling his house. That is true but that was a decision for the individual concerned. The information in relation to his discharge from the British Air Force was not indicated on his application form to the Naval Service. The reason for his discharge was that, apparently when he was stationed at Aden, he contracted a disease called sandfly fever and one effect of this disease is raving. He was treated with librium and electric shock therapy. This was not disclosed in his application form. While one can have every sympathy with the man, the reason for his being inducted into the Naval Service is being investigated and I would like to point out to the Deputy who brought the matter to the attention of the Department, according to my information on 4th July——
Did he get a reply? The Minister for Defence never replies to my letters.
The Minister is very good at replying to my letters. The Minister is regarded highly by the Defence Forces.
He cannot be regarded highly if he has not the courtesy to reply to letters.
I do not understand how this arises.
The Parliamentary Secretary is trying to say that, since the letter was only received on 4th July, there was no time for a reply.
Do not put words into my mouth.
I would not attempt to. Injured innocence!
The Parliamentary Secretary says the information was not given on the application form. There was no such request made on the application form and his discharge book from the RAF was placed before the examining committee of three officers and they examined it and questioned him on the particular circumstances under which he was discharged. He was then sent for a medical examination, which he passed, and following on that, he was then sent on a test for the particular sphere in which he was going to operate in the Naval Service and he was ultimately written to and told he was being accepted. In view of the completely unsatisfactory nature of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, I propose, with your permission, Sir, to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
I should like to point out once more to the Deputy that the circumstances of the case are unfortunate. What the Deputy will do on the Adjournment is entirely a matter for himself but, as I have said, the circumstances are being investigated and, no matter what the Deputy may say on the Adjournment, the position in relation to the discharge of the individual from another armed force is set out clearly in Defence Force Regulations and I would refer the Deputy to paragraph 12 of Defence Force Regulations 8/10 which provides:
The following persons will not be enlisted: a person who for misconduct, inefficiency or on the grounds of his service being no longer required or being medically unfit or below army physical standards has been discharged from the permanent Defence Forces, the reserve Defence Force or the military, naval, police or air service of another country or state.
In those circumstances the Deputy will, I think, appreciate that this unfortunate man is not in a position to be re-inducted into the Naval Service.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary trying to imply that the officers who examined him here were unaware of all the conditions? Furthermore, the Parliamentary Secretary says that the Army did not request him to sell his house——
No. It was the Naval Service.
He was asked would he be prepared to move to Cork. What was he to do with the house he had built in County Kildare from the fruits of his own labours? He has a wife and three children. He was prepared to move to Cork with these, having secured this appointment and having put in train the selling of his house. I will raise this matter on the Adjournment.
The Deputy appreciates that it is past the time for raising any matter on the Adjournment.
I do not want to take the Deputy at a disadvantage since he cannot raise the matter on the Adjournment and, with the indulgence of the Chair, I should like to say that the matter is being thoroughly investigated to find out why this man was inducted into the service. I undertake to the Deputy that this investigation will be carried out with the utmost speed and the Deputy will have a copy of the report as soon as is humanly possible.
This man has not been out of work for a day since leaving school. What was he expected to live on for the past fortnight?
The Deputy has made his point. I am trying to be as helpful as possible.
This is an outrageous injustice.
Would it help if the Deputy and the Parliamentary Secretary discussed this case privately to see if some satisfactory arrangement could be made?
That does not arise.
I accept what Deputy Murphy says but I did not bring the matter up here. That would have been the proper way to deal with it but, in fairness to Deputy Malone, he approached the Department on the matter but, perhaps, if he had come to us it might have been better.
Is sandfly fever a disease that is likely to recur in the Naval Service?
There is not the slightest chance of it recurring.
As a non-medical person, I do not know the answer to that.
They would be far more likely to suffer from rust.
Perhaps Deputies should address their questions on this matter to Deputy Dr. Browne.