§ CAPTAIN DONELANOn behalf of the honourable Member for East Cavan, I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Thomas Reilly, who has been carpenter to the Cootehill Board of Guardians for the past 46 years, has been refused a superannuation allowance of £12 per annum owing to his being a Roman Catholic, although the same guardians voted superannuation to a doctor, who was a Protestant and worth £20,000; and whether he will direct the Cootehill Board of Guardians to again 1342 consider the case of Reilly with the view of granting him some superannuation, and thereby prevent him from having to enter the workhouse?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURIt is true that the Cootehill Guardians have refused to allow a retiring allowance to the late carpenter of the workhouse, but the Local Government Board are not aware of the grounds on which the action of the guardians was based. Nor have the Board any information as to the religious denomination or private means of the medical officer of this union, who is in receipt of a superannuation allowance. The question of granting such allowances to union officers rests altogether with the Board of Guardians, and the Local Government Board have no power to direct the guardians to reconsider the matter, as suggested.