§ 24. Mr. BYRNEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will state the cause of the delay in dealing with the claims of sufferers in the destroyed area of Dublin; and if he will state the amount that has been adjudicated to the various claimants for rebuilding, so as they might be in a position to consult their architects and builders and to enable them to proceed with this work?
§ 105. Mr. CLANCYasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been drawn to the many complaints made as to the delay in making known to those concerned the compensation which is to be paid to the owners of property destroyed during the course of the recent insurrection in Dublin; whether the Government intend to act upon the recommendations of their Committee of Inquiry into the claims made for such compensation; if they do, what is the objection to giving the 174 owners particulars of those recommendations; and whether anything is to be done to hasten the proceedings in this matter, so that payment of the compensation fixed upon may be made as soon as possible?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Duke)The allegations as to delay are quite unfounded. I may state that out of 1,235 claims included in the first five lists of recommendations received from the Property Losses (Ireland) Committee, 1,195 have been paid in full; in twenty-eight cases payments have been made on account; and in only twelve cases have no payments been made. The remaining lists received from the Committee are at present before the Treasury, and no payments can issue in respect of them until Treasury authority is received. The Committee was appointed to ascertain certain facts and advise on them. It is for the Irish Government and the Treasury to decide, after considering the statement of the Committee, whether the ex gratia Grant recommended in any case comes within the limits of the liability which the State agreed to assume; and until that question is decided it is not possible to tell the claimant the amount which he is to receive.