§ Mr. BYRNEasked the Pensions Minister why the application of Mrs. Bridget Liscombe for a grant from the War Pensions Committee of the City of Dublin for the benefit of the children of Private John Naylor, No. 14578, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, was not entertained by the committee, in face of the facts that the children lost their father and mother within a few days, the father being killed whilst on active service and the mother being shot on the streets of Dublin during the rebellion, and the sum of £10 only being paid by the Rebellion Victims' Committee by reason of her death?
§ Mr. HODGEThe Dublin War Pensions Committee would have no power to make a grant in the circumstances of this case. Under the Royal Warrant motherless children are awarded pension on a higher scale than children whose mothers are living, the amount payable for three children in one family being 18s. a week. This weekly sum is, in fact, being paid to Mrs. Liscombe as the guardian of 2139W Private Naylor's children. An application for a grant from certain voluntary funds at my disposal was forwarded by the Dublin Committee, but in view of the circumstances, and of the fact that proposals to increase the rates of pension for motherless children are now under consideration, the trustees of the fund were unable to entertain it.