To ask the Minister for Defence if he is aware that a large number of officers and non-commissioned officers in the National Army stationed in Athlone are not receiving officer's pay, and whose commissions have been sanctioned by the Army Authorities; further, if he is aware that the above ranks were all appointments by the late Commander-in-Chief, Michael Collins, and furthermore, will he state why the mothers of those officers are not in receipt of Dependents' Allowances, when those officers were the chief support of their mothers before joining up; and will he state when it is likely that the above officers shall receive their rank pay and also the allowance to their mothers.
WRITTEN ANSWERS. - SALARIES AND DEPENDENTS' ALLOWANCES IN ATHLONE.
SEAN O LAIDHIN
I am not aware of those things.
SEAN O LAIDHIN
Surely you must be aware that these men are acting as officers for over two years. They acted as officers in the old I.R.A., and are now officers in the National Army. As stated in the question, some of these appointments were made by the late Commander-in-Chief.
Is there a supplementary question?
SEAN O LAIDHIN
I want to know why these officers are not being paid, and why their mothers are not getting their allowances?
That is not a supplementary question; that is the same question.
I am not aware of the matters referred to in the question, and I cannot undertake to take the initiative in inquiring into them.