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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 18 Nov 1925

Vol. 13 No. 6

CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - APPLICATIONS FOR MILITARY PENSIONS.

asked the Minister for Defence if he is aware that in some cases where applications were made for Army service pensions, replies were sent to the claimants to the effect that owing to their applications being received after the appointed day in March, 1925, they could not be considered; that many men who rendered service to the State are thus deprived of the advantages of the Military Service Pensions Act, 1924, and if he will extend the time by a reasonable period so that all claims could be considered on their merits.

I would refer the Deputy to the Regulations made by me and laid on the Table in both Houses on the 12th instant.

Would the Minister cause those Regulations to be advertised so as to allow those who have been refused consideration an opportunity of re-submitting their claims?

I can make no further order until these Regulations have remained on the Table for twenty-one days.

Will the Minister not put an advertisement in the papers to the effect that such an order is there, that such regulation is amended, so as to give these people an opportunity of making their claims?

I cannot anticipate what action the Oireachtas will take in regard to these recommendations and until the time limit expires I am not in a position to put in any advertisement.

Mr. BYRNE

May I put it to the Minister, or the President of the Executive Council, that when new Regulations are made affecting a number of military men whose claims were refused consideration and when these new Regulations are practically pigeon-holed and these men have no means of seeing them, that it is not too much to ask that a guinea or two should be spent in having them advertised?

So far as I am concerned I must follow the Regulations made by the Dáil. I am doing so in this case. I have taken the only course open to me; that is, to allow those Regulations to be laid upon the Table for twenty-one days, to see if the Oireachtas approves or disapproves of them. If the Oireachtas approves of them, then I will be in a position to say what I can do in regard to the views the Deputy has put forward.

Am I to understand then that twenty-one days will be taken off the time allowed for these applications to come forward, and will that mean that there are only fourteen days or three weeks allowed for applicants, some of whom are in America and elsewhere, to send in their applications?

I do not think that part of the question arises.

Well, I do.

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