Joe Sherlock
Ceist:190 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties created for officers of the Defence Forces who served during the period of the Emergency between 1939 and 1946, who are now denied the reduced pension payable to other ranks, apparently as a result of an anomaly in the Widows and Orphans Act 1938, which regards only other ranks as insured persons; if, in view of the small number of such surviving officers and the hardship caused, he will consider making ex gratia payments from within the resources of his Department to make up the loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25670/03]
