asked the Minister for Defence if he will state why, out of 40 persons in the Enniscorthy area who had been refused military service pensions, and had applied to have their cases reviewed, only three cases were reviewed; whether each of these three appeals was successful; whether the cases of over 100 persons, whose applications for pensions had been refused, were recommended by the North Wexford Advisory Board for review; and if he will state whether this request for a rehearing will be granted or, alternatively, the grounds on which rehearing of these cases was refused.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Military Service Pensions (Wexford).
The 40 applicants referred to in the first part of the Deputy's question are, apparently, those mentioned in his question of 16th February, 1944. Of these 40 applicants, appeals were received from 26. Twenty-four of these appeals were refused on the grounds that the evidence submitted was not additional evidence. Two cases were reopened and the applicants qualified for pensions.
In regard to the second part of the Deputy's question, I have received a request from the North Wexford Brigade Committee for a rehearing of the cases of 186 applicants. A communication has been sent to the secretary of that committee requesting details of the additional evidence which it is proposed to furnish in these cases, and, on receipt of that information, the question of whether the cases can be reopened will be considered.
In cases where additional evidence was submitted on appeal, can the Minister say in how many cases were the individuals called before the Pensions Board, and why others were not called?
If it was a case of additional evidence they would have been called. It is a question of judgment on what is additional evidence. If the evidence was regarded as additional evidence, they would have been called before the board, but they may not have succeeded in their appeals.
I asked the Minister whether he is aware of cases——
That is a separate question. This deals with Wexford.
This is a Wexford and Enniscorthy case.
Very good.
Will the Minister say why it was, in one of the cases where, I think, evidence was submitted by the Irish Minister at Washington, the individual on whose behalf that evidence was submitted was not called before the board?
I could not answer that question. I would have to have details of the particular case.
The Minister has details of that case.