asked the Minister for Defence if he has received a claim from Mr. Thomas Foy, King Street, Ballina, for, approximately, £2,400 for goods supplied to the National Troops at Ballina in his capacity as Army Contractor; whether the account has been duly vouched and passed by the local Military Authorities; whether several applications have been made for payment without avail, including a personal application by Mr. Foy at Portobello; whether the Minister is aware that the failure to pay this account has hampered Mr. Foy very considerably in his business, and will he see that the claim receives immediate attention;
Also to ask the Minister whether he will give instructions that Mr. Foy's claim for hire of a three-ton lorry, from August to March, with repairs to same, will be attended to;
Further, to ask the Minister if there is not considerable difficulty in getting merchants in the Ballina area to accept contracts for the supply of goods to the National Army because of the very great delay experienced in securing settlement of accounts.
