asked the Minister for Defence whether persons claiming under the Army Pensions Act, 1923, as dependents of deceased Volunteers are required to state on their application forms the amounts received by them from the National Aid, White Cross, and similar funds; whether the amounts so admitted by the claimants are taken into consideration by the Army Pensions Board, and, if so, if he can state what section of the Act authorises the Board to take cognisance of these grants, having regard to the fact that they are not made from Government funds.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - ARMY PENSION ACT CLAIMS.
Persons claiming under the Army Pensions Act, 1923, in respect of deceased Volunteers are required to furnish particulars of allowances received from the funds mentioned. No reference is made in the Act to such sums, but the fact that they were made out of quasi-public funds is material to the question of dependency, and, therefore, to the power of the Minister for Defence to make a grant under the Act.
The allowances, which in many cases are in excess of the rates laid down in the Act, are reasonably taken into consideration in fixing the dates from which pensions should be payable. The Minister has discretion under Sections 7 (2) and 8 (2) in this connection. At the same time, the White Cross authorities are notified of grants made under the Act, with a view to their ceasing the issue of allowances from their funds.
As regards the exercise of the Minister's discretion are any rules or regulations laid down by him for the body making the final decision, and, if so, would he give Deputy Byrne and others interested in the matter a copy of these regulations?
I have not made any regulations. Every case is considered on its merits, and in accordance with the sums paid.