asked the Minister for Defence if he will cause inquiries to be made into the delay in paying arrears of pay to ex-Volunteer John Durkin (20393), No. 13 Infantry Battalion, National Army, and if he is aware that Durkin claims £15 4s. 6d., due to him as from the 1st June, 1922. to 26th August, 1922.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - EX-ARMY MAN'S PAY.
Mr. Durkin appears first to have claimed arrears of pay on the 5th August, 1924. A form was sent to him on the 16th idem, on which he was to obtain verification of his claim. He did not return it until the 8th November last, and then it was not properly completed. A search since made among pay records shows that he was paid for most of the period covered by his claim. His claim must, therefore, be regarded as invalid. He has been so informed.
Mr. BYRNE
The Parliamentary Secretary states that this man has been paid for most of the period for which he claims. Does that mean that the Minister is satisfied that there is something due to this man, and that it is being held back from him?
The Minister is satisfied that he was paid a certain amount, but that, through his own neglect, the Minister does not think he deserves any further consideration.
Mr. BYRNE
Am I to understand that if a soldier swears a declaration, stating that there is money due to him from the State, and that he is asked to verify the form he puts in by getting an officer to sign it, and then finds that the officer he requires cannot be traced, that he is to be deprived of money that he earned while employed by the State?
He had two years in which to give the information that was asked for and to have his form completed. He did not do that, and it was only on 8th November last that anything came from him, and the case, therefore, cannot be further considered.
Mr. BYRNE
The point that I want to bring out is this: the man in question was asked to get an officer under whom he served to verify his claim. It is not disputed by the Department of Defence that there is money due to him, but the fact is that the man in question cannot find this officer, and that is the cause of the delay. The Department of Defence was written to on several occasions and was informed of that, and am I to understand that because the man cannot find this officer that he is to be deprived of his money? The man has made a sworn declaration that the money is due to him, and, I think, he satisfied the Minister that the money was due to him.