asked the Minister for Defence whether the claim of Mr. Patrick Casey, Rathkeane, Ruan, Co. Clare, arising from his motor being commandeered on 9th August, 1922, by the Army at Ennis, and the consequential losses involved by the seizure, has yet been considered, and if he can state when a settlement of the claim will be made.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - MOTOR COMMANDEERED (RUAN, CO. CLARE).
Mr. Casey's claim is under investigation, and it is hoped that a decision will shortly be reached in connection with it.
Will the Minister give us the Departmental interpretation of the significance of the word "shortly"? Does it mean in the course of a few days, or in the course of a few weeks, or a few months or a few years, the latter of which, relatively speaking, would represent only an atom of time in the cycle of eternity?
It all depends on the nature of the case, and the cases that come forward for investigation are very varied.