asked the Minister for Defence if he would introduce legislation to enable the period of imprisonment to be reckoned as "military service" for pension purposes in the cases of members of the Connaught Rangers, who were imprisoned in India from 28th June, 1920, to June, 1923, and who subsequently joined the National Army.

I am not prepared to introduce legislation of the nature suggested by the Deputy.

The Minister is aware, of course, that these men would be entitled to pensions from the British Government were it not for what happened at the time. As these men have joined the army, surely the least they may expect is to get some compensation for the work they carried out when they helped as best they could to establish the Free State.

I will refer the Deputy to an answer given by the President to Deputy A. Byrne on the 12/11/'25.

I put it to the Minister that men like these, who actually rendered good service to this country by doing a thing for which they were imprisoned in India, and who afterwards joined the National Army, should at least be placed on the same basis as the men who had active service at home.

I think the Deputy is under a misconception altogether. We have no pensions scheme under our Military Service Act at present.

Then those who fought for Ireland fought in vain.