asked the Minister for Defence if he will state (a) if the military service pension payable to James Fealy, Moatefarrel, Edgeworthstown, has been cancelled; (b) if so, if he will state the grounds for such cancellation, and the section of the Military Service Pensions Acts, 1924-34, giving authority to the Minister for Defence or the Minister for Finance for doing so; (c) if the certificate of award has not been cancelled, why payment is not being made, and the date of the order stopping payment, and under what section of the said Acts such order was made.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Military Service Pension.
The military service pension awarded to the Mr. James Fealy referred to in the Deputy's question has not been cancelled. In July, 1936, the Land Commission intimated to my Department that a sum of £36 19s. 6d. was due by Mr. Fealy in respect of lands held by him at Moatefarrel, Edgeworthstown, and his pension has been withheld since 1st July, 1936, and will be so withheld until the full amount due shall have been recovered. Section 5 (3) of the Military Service Pensions Act, 1924, as amended by Section 17 of the Act of 1934, authorises such stoppage.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, would he say whether he has caused an examination to be made into the circumstances of Mr. James Fealy, and into the expenditure to which Mr. Fealy has been subjected as a result of the losses he has sustained on his farm by reason of the policy of the present Government?
I suggest that, if the State is paying Mr. Fealy money, he ought to pay any money that he owes to the State.
Has the Minister anything to say about what caused this man's losses?
I know the amount that the State is paying him.
Has the Minister made any attempt to find out what the policy of the State has caused this man to lose, if by the State we mean the Fianna Fáil Government?