asked the Minister for Defence if he will state (a) how many military service pensions were granted under the 1934 Act; (b) how many applicants were rejected; (c) how many cases still await a decision; and (d) if it is his intention to introduce an amending Bill to cover cases of extreme hardship where applicants were rejected because of a narrow interpretation of the 1934 Act.

(a) the number of pensions granted under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934, is 10,122; (b) the number of persons to whom the grant of service certificate has been refused is 47,710; (c) the number of applications which remain to be dealt with by the referee is 1,771; (d) I do not propose to introduce amending legislation on the lines suggested by the Deputy.

asked the Minister for Defence if he will state whether he is considering the introduction of amending legislation to provide pensions for those with good service, which is not at present reckonable for the purposes of the Military Service Pensions Acts.

It is not proposed to introduce amending legislation on the lines suggested.

I understand that the Minister has promised a review of these cases, or, if not a review, amending legislation, later on, to deal with these border-line pension cases. I should like to know from the Minister whether there is going to be any review in the case of pension claims that have been refused. There seems to be an idea that there will be either amending legislation introduced or a review of such cases, and I want to know what is the intention.

They can only be reviewed on the lines of the present legislation. It is not proposed to introduce new legislation.

Numbers of applications which were border-line cases have been refused, and I want to know whether they are going to be reviewed.

If they turn out on polling day for the Fianna Fáil Party, yes; but if they do not turn out for the Fianna Fáil Party, no.

asked the Minister for Defence if he will state when it is proposed to bring to a conclusion the determination of claims to military service pensions under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934.

It is anticipated that the referee will have disposed of all claims under the Military Service Pensions Act, 1934, at an early date.

What does the Minister mean by saying "at an early date"? Does that mean one year, or three or four years? It would be well for us to know now when these cases will be disposed of.

It means at an early date. The referee is doing all that he possibly can.