asked the Minister for Defence if he will state the amount of compensation paid in respect of Corporal Matthew McNamara, Meelick, Portumna, Co. Galway, who died from wounds received in action on October 10th, 1922, and if he will indicate the basis upon which that compensation was assessed.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - DEPENDENTS COMPENSATION CLAIM.
A gratuity of £100 was paid to the dependents of the late Corporal Matthew McNamara.
I would draw the attention of the Deputy to paragraph 7 of the Third Schedule of the Army Pensions Act, 1923. It is laid down therein that no allowance is payable to any person unless such person was at the date of the death of the soldier in respect of whom such allowance is claimed wholly dependent on such soldier. It was ascertained that the applicant, Mrs. McNamara, had not been wholly dependent on her deceased son, and an allowance could not therefore be granted. All the circumstances of her case were carefully considered, and it was found practicable to award her the gratuity mentioned, which is the maximum payable under paragraph 8 of the Third Schedule to the Act, which lays it down that where a soldier leaves persons partially dependent on him such persons shall not be granted any allowance, but in necessitous cases or other special circumstances a gratuity may be awarded.