§ Mr. SCANLANasked whether Sarah Kilcullen, of Carrowcullen, Skreen, county Sligo, is entitled to her pension, allowed by the local pension committee under the Old Age Pensions Act, pending a decision of the Local Government Board on a question as to her age referred to the said Board?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis case does not appear to have come before the Local Government Board on appeal, and I have, therefore, no information with regard to it. I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary to the Treasury, who answers for the Commissioners of Customs and Excise.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will state why the old age pension of Mrs. Mary Hannay, widow, Carrownamodhu, Ballisodare, county Sligo, has been refused by the Local Government Board; and whether he 594 is aware of the facts that her age has been proved to be over seventy-one years and that she has practically no means of subsistence?
§ Mr. BIRRELLMrs. Hannay's claim was disallowed by the Local Government Board in January, 1909, under Section 2 (3) of the Old Age Pensions Act. If she can now prove that her means do not exceed the statutory limit it is open to her to make a fresh claim.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked upon what grounds the Local Government Board, on 29th April, 1910, stopped the old age pension of Mrs. Bridget Healy, of Carrownamodhu, Ballisodare, county Sligo; and whether, in this case, the local pension officer, Mr. Fraser, Sligo, ascertained that by the Census Returns of 1841 she was of the qualifying age, but was reported under age in the Census Returns of 1851?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe only Mrs. Bridget Healy whose case, appears to have come before the Local Government Board from county Sligo lived near Ballisodare, and her case was reported on by a pension officer named Smith. She did not appear in the Census Returns of 1841, and could not furnish any evidence that she had attained the statutory age. Her claim was, therefore, disallowed.