McNeela case to be raised in Dáil by Louth TD

The case of Dundalk father John McNeela, whose son died on UN duty in Lebanon in 1989, will be raised by Louth TD Ruairí Ó Murchú in Leinster House when the Dáil returns from recess this week.

Michael McNeela was just 21 when he was killed in Lebanon in 1989 while on his second tour of duty for the UN. His father, John McNeela who is 84, went public last week and revealed that the refusal by the Department of Defence to allow him to continue to collect the small monthly allowance, given to his late wife, Kathleen, under the Army Pensions Act, left him ‘poor’.

Tanaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris said the legislation does not provide for the transfer of the pension, worth €342 per month, to Mr McNeela.

The Department of Defence said, in response to queries from the media about the case, that secretary-general of the Department of Defence would raise this case with the Department of Social Protection ‘to see what other supports may be available to Mr McNeela’.

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Deputy Ó Murchú said Mr McNeela has not had any contact from government departments in the week since his case went public. The Sinn Féin TD said: “In the week since Mr McNeela went public about the situation with the pension, he has not received any communication from any government department, which is disappointing.

“It is clear there is huge public support for him and for the legislation to be changed in order to allow the pension to be transferred to him. It is my intention to bring the case to the Dáil this week and to press the government for a resolution.

“The legislation which governs pensions given to the families of Defence Forces members who are killed on duty, is out of date and needs to be changed and updated.”

Deputy Ó Murchú added: “The McNeela case is extremely rare and while I have started the process of drafting legislation to amend the anomaly, the government has to make an interim payment for Mr McNeela, as has happened in the past with other uniformed services”.