asked the Minister for Finance if he will state what progress, if any, has been made in the preparation of a satisfactory compensation measure for those serving in the A.R.P. services, and if rescue workers of the services are included, and to what extent are they covered; if he is aware of the discontent caused by the delay in the introduction of such proposals; whether he is further aware that no replies have been received to letters regarding the matter addressed to his Department; and, if so, if he will explain this failure.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Compensation for A.R.P. Workers.
The scheme of compensation for members of the A.R.P. services must necessarily be related, as the Deputy will no doubt appreciate, to the scheme of compensation for civilians who suffer personal injuries through bombing and kindred incidents. A revision of the latter scheme, providing for an improved measure of compensation, has for some time been proceeding and it is anticipated that the revised scheme will be released at an early date. On its completion a revision of the A.R.P. scheme, also providing for improved terms, will be set in train forthwith. Rescue workers, in common with other A.R.P. workers, are covered by the original scheme and will be included in the revised one.
As regards the second part of the question, I am informed that some discontent has been caused by the delay in introducing a new compensation scheme for A.R.P. workers. Acknowledgments have been issued to any letters addressed to the Department of Defence on the subject but no particulars of the proposed revision could be made available until work on the civilians' scheme had been completed. It is, of course, intended that the improved terms of compensation will be applied with retrospective effect.
Will the Minister take steps to make sure that those persons who consider that they have a grievance will know that the revised scheme is to be introduced and also that they will know the reason for the delay?
They will probably learn it from the Press, as a result of this statement.