Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)

I again raise the issue of Private Michael McNeela from Dundalk, who as a 21-year-old member of the Defence Forces made the ultimate sacrifice while peacekeeping in Lebanon. His mother, Kathleen, received an allowance or pension. Sadly, she died last year and Michael's father, John, was not able to receive this payment. We are talking about €342 per month. I have had a number of engagements with the Tánaiste and officials on this. I know the Department of Social Protection was dealing with the Department of Defence. I am not very hopeful of that process providing a solution, although I am very glad it happened. I see the only solution being that the Army Pensions Act would be updated and that this would happen as soon as possible. John McNeela is 84 years of age. We are talking about a very small number of families, but families who have made a huge sacrifice for this country, so they should be looked after. As long as it takes to get that legislation right, in the short term we need to find an administrative solution, an interim solution, because the situation now is unfair.

It is mean-spirited and wrong. The Tánaiste has said that he is sympathetic and supportive and that there is a legitimate policy question here.

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