asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that Thomas O'Keeffe, of Edinburgh, now deceased, subscribed £20 to the Dáil Eireann Loan, 1919-20, on the 12th April, 1920, for which he was given a temporary receipt on that date; that an official receipt was sent to him on the 26th April, 1920; that after his death his brother, who holds both receipts, applied for repayment of the loan, and received a reply from his Department stating that his claim being late could not be entertained; and considering the fact that neither the subscriber nor the applicant had any means of knowing the time limit imposed by the Act of 1933, and as no official intimation was conveyed to them about the matter, he will take steps by legislation to have this subscriber's name and any others in like circumstances entered upon the register of subscribers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dáil Loan.
The records in my Department show that Mr. O'Keeffe subscribed a sum of £20 to the Dáil Eireann Loan (Internal), 1919-20. His brother's application for repayment of the subscription was not received until the 9th April, 1935, that is, more than a year after the expiration of the time prescribed by Section 6 of the Dáil Eireann Loans and Funds (Amendment) Act, 1933. The time limit for such applications, which was first fixed as the 31st March, 1925, was extended from time to time until, by the Act of 1933, it was definitely fixed as the 31st March, 1934. Wide publicity as to the various limiting dates was given in the metropolitan and provincial newspapers. In view of these facts, I am not prepared to introduce proposals for legislation as suggested by the Deputy.
Can the Minister state if the official notice of the closing date was given to any newspapers circulating outside this country?
I cannot answer that positively, but I do know this, that a great deal of publicity was given, by newspapers circulating outside Éire, to the fact that the loan was being repaid.