§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, seeing that Thomas Walsh, of Kilfannon, Kilmainham Wood, county Meath, a labourer, 76 years of age, without means, and who never received Poor Law relief, was granted a full pension by the local committee, and that the pension 1510 officer appealed against their decision to the Local Government Board, who disqualified the applicant, he will state what were their reasons for doing so?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe pension officer appealed against the decision of the local pension committee on the ground that this man had received poor relief. The Local Government Board ascertained that the claimant had been in the Kells Workhouse Hospital suffering from debility for a period of two years up to April last, and they accordingly upheld the pension officer's appeal in pursuance of the principle laid down in their circular letter of 30th December last, a copy of which I have forwarded to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. P. WHITEAm I to understand that treatment in the Union workhouse disqualifies a pensioner? This man was in the workhouse infirmary, as it happens not as a pauper. He has not spent the whole of his life in the hospital, and yet he is disqualified.
§ Mr. BIRRELLUnder the principles laid down in the letter, we have, of course, to distinguish between chronic cases and cases which yield to treatment, and this old gentleman—I agree he is an old man—having been in the workhouse hospital for two years, or almost two years, in the opinion of the Commissioners that amounted to a disqualification under the Act.
§ Mr. P. WHITEHis case has now yielded to treatment, otherwise he would not be out of the hospital.
§ Mr. BIRRELLYes; but it yielded after two years' treatment.
§ Mr. P. WHITEDoes the right hon. Gentleman wish him to go back to the Union Hospital again? There is no alternative.
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo.
§ Mr. SNOWDENIs there any fixed length of time in the workhouse hospital which distinguishes between medical relief which does not disqualify and medical relief which does?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo; there is not.
§ Mr. P. WHITECan the Local Government Board override the intention of Parliament by means of regulations and rules?
§ Mr. BIRRELLCertainly not.