asked the Minister for Defence if he will state (1) the date on which applications under the Military Service Pensions (Amendment) Act, 1949, will be accepted; (2) the date on which the board will hold its first sitting; (3) where sittings of the board will take place, and (4) the date from which payment of pensions will become effective.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Military Service Pensions Act, 1949.
The reply to the Deputy's question is a follows:—
(1) Petitions for rehearing of applications for pensions which were refused under Section 2 (2) of the Military Service Pensions Act, 1924, and Section 10 (1) of the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934, will be accepted provided they are made not later than the 7th June, 1951. Applications from persons who did not apply prior to the 1st January, 1946, will also be accepted up to 7th June, 1951, provided that such persons furnish me with a satisfactory explanation of their failure to apply before the 1st January, 1946.
(2) and (3) The Referee and Advisory Committee took up duty on 6th February last and have been engaged in the meantime upon the preliminary work. The Referee will arrange for sittings at the earliest possible moment.
(4) Payment of pensions granted will commence from the 7th December, 1949, the date of the passing of the Act, except in the cases of persons serving in the Defence Forces on that date, in whose cases payment will commence on the date of discharge therefrom.
I doubt if the Minister has answered the third part of the question. Will he state where, in fact, the sittings of the tribunal will take place? In other words, will there be regional sittings in the various parts of the country?
I have explained that already. I think it is not laid down in the Act that the board must sit centrally or that they will not go on tour. In the course of time I imagine that it will be necessary to go out from Dublin. However, it is an open question at the moment.