asked the Minister for Defence whether he is aware that Volunteer James Grogan, of Ballytore, Co. Kildare, Army No. 16290, who attested on April 18th, 1922, and who was discharged as medically unfit and with character marked very good from the National Army on March 18th, 1924, is unable to work as a result of injuries alleged to have been received by his having been assaulted by a military policeman in Arbour Hill Prison in December, 1922; that he went under an operation at the Curragh Camp hospital, and that he is now incapacitated for life; that he had to leave his employment on the 1st June, 1925, in Ballytore, through weakness and debility, and whether he will have inquiries made with a view to awarding a pension.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - EX-SOLDIER'S PENSION CLAIM.
Mr. Grogan made a claim under the provisions of the Army Pensions Act, 1923. He was accordingly examined by a medical board which reported that his disability was not attributable to military service. It appears that it did not originate during such service. Under the circumstances I regret that I am not in a position to grant him any compensation.
Is the Minister aware that this man has been subjected to brutal treatment, and that it is a gross injustice to turn him out of the Army and leave him incapacitated for life? I ask the Minister to have an inquiry into this matter, independent of those with whom he served, if it is possible, because almost all of them are implicated in his disability. I can show letters from the man himself stating what happened. They are not such as could be read here.
I am in a position to know what happened. A certain operation had to be performed on this man, and it was ten months after the alleged ill-treatment. I do not admit that there was any ill-treatment given to him in the place where he was detained.