asked the Minister for Defence whether he is aware that a number of applicants for military service medals applied after the prescribed date, and whether he will consider extending the application period to the 30th September, 1950.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Military Service Medical Applications.
I am aware of the fact that a number of applications for service medals (1917-1921) were received in the Department subsequent to the date on which such applications should have been received. I do not propose to have these applications considered, nor do I propose to further extend the date to cover these or any other such applications.
Would the Minister say if he is aware that many of the people concerned were in England and some of them, to my own knowledge, in America and were not aware of the advertisements that did appear in the Irish papers concerning the closing date?
There was notice given over a long period of between 18 months and two years and during that 18 months or two years there were repeated advertisements in the daily Press and in all the provincial newspapers. Now, if they had interested friends in this country, those friends should have been aware either of the advertisements in the daily papers or in the provincial newspapers. In addition to that, there was notice given on repeated occasions over the wireless.
As the Deputy is aware, when I took office the date was closed for all these things and there was a very, very strong and reasonable case for keeping it closed. I reopened it and kept it open for a period of two years, but there has to be some finality somewhere.