§ DR. THOMPSON (Monaghan, N.). To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the position of certain Poor Law officers in Ireland, who are liable to have the resignation of their offices accepted without receiving any retiring allowance; and, if so, whether he will issue such instructions to boards of guardians as will protect these Poor Law officers, disqualified for superannuation and anxious to retire from active duty, from the danger of being refused retiring allowances.
(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.) With the exception of those officers who upon retirement are entitled to a retiring allowance under Section 118 of the Local Government Act of 1898, the grant or refusal to grant a superannuation allowance to Poor Law officers under Section I of the 28 and 29 Vic., c. 26, is within the discretion of boards of guardians. It would not be competent for the Local Government Board to issue instructions I calculated to interfere with the discretion of local authorities vested in them by statute in this respect.