I move:—
That it is expedient to authorise such payments out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas as are necessary to give effect to any Act of the present session to amend theMilitary Service Pensions Acts, 1924 to 1949.
In moving this Resolution, I would like to inform the House that the Government examined the debate which took place in regard to military service pensions on the Second Stage of the Bill. They are satisfied that the Bill represents the limits to which they can go in respect of payments. They are satisfied that the method of assessing the pensions based on service is a fair method; that similarly circumstanced applicants are provided with the same opportunities for presenting their case to the Referee and Advisory Board.
Arising out of some of the statements made on the Second Stage of the Bill, I got in contact with the Referee who assured me that, while he is the deciding factor and has to accept responsibility, every decision taken is one arrived at by a majority consisting of himself and the members of his board. Service is based on the evidence tendered by the applicant and by any witnesses whom he wishes to bring forward.
There is one point which the Government considered favourably. It was a matter raised by Deputy Cowan, I think, in regard to pensions to individuals who were notionally discharged in order to secure a permanent commission. While they are satisfied that the decision was based on the terms of the 1924 Act and that there was nothing unjust in the decision taken by the officials, in their opinion it was unfair inasmuch as it could hardly have been in the minds of the framers of the particular Act to have notional discharge deemed permanent. From that point of view I was given permission to bring in an amendment which is down here in my name. This amendment will restore these men to the position enjoyed by their ordinary retired colleagues of the permanent Army.
There is only one other point I should like to raise. I would like to make an appeal to the House to deal with this Bill as expeditiously as possible. The end of the first quarter of the year comes, as Deputies are aware, on the 31st of this month. If it ispossible to get the Bill dealt with speedily in this House and in the other House my officials, in reply to a question of mine, assured me that, given some little time, it would be possible to make these payments, including the retrospective payments, available by the end of the month. On that aspect alone I would appeal to the House to deal with this particular matter as expeditiously as it can do so.