§ Mr. FRANCIS MEEHANasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, having regard to the decision of the Local Government Board in the case of Mrs. Jane Rooney, of Aughalative, Kinlough, county Leitrim, an old age pensioner, who had attained the statutory age according to the Census of 1841, and having regard to previous decisions on similar appeals, he will direct the pension officer to return her book and pay the amount stopped on account of pension received?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hobhouse)Mrs. Rooney's pension has been restored as from 29th April, in accordance with the concession which I announced in the House of Commons on 28th April last.
§ Mr. FRANCIS MEEHANasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state upon what grounds James M'Garraghy, of Larkfield, Manorhamilton, county Leitrim, has been deprived of his old age pension; and whether such evidence as certificates from people of over eighty years of age, or his own hoary and worn personal appearance, will be taken by the pension officer who visited him?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEJames M'Garraghy's pension was withdrawn by the Local Government Board as the result of a question raised by the pension officer on the ground that he is recorded as six years old in the Census Returns of 1851, and therefore apparently he is only sixty-five. I have no authority to intervene in the matter.
§ Mr. FRANCIS MEEHANasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he would state upon what grounds Thomas M'Loughlin, of Cloonmore, Drumkeerin, county Leitrim, was deprived of the old age pension; whether he is aware that M'Loughlin produced a certificate of his age received from the Reverend Patrick M'Morrow, P.P., V.F., and that the registry clerk produced the baptismal registry to the pension officer; and, having regard to such facts, will an inquiry be ordered with a view of granting M'Loughlin the pension and paying him the amount due since it became due?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThomas M'Loughlin's claim to a pension was disallowed on appeal by a decision of the Local Government Board. I have no authority to review this decision, or to question the sufficiency of the evidence on which it is based.
§ Mr. CULLINANWas not the certificate the same as the baptismal registry?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEApparently the Local Government Board did not think so.
§ Mr. HOGANasked whether Mrs. Catherine Bourke, of Foilnadrough, Kilcommon, near Thurles, county Tipperary, was granted an old age pension on 2nd February last by the Birdhill subcommittee, and that, on appeal by the pension officer, the Local Government Board 1733 decided that the applicant was not entitled to a pension; upon what grounds this decision was arrived at, seeing that the applicant produced evidence to show that she was seventy years of age in November last; and whether the Local Government Board will be requested to again reconsider the matter with a view to restoring the pension to this person?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board disallowed Mrs. Bourke's claim because she was unable to satisfy them that she had attained the statutory age. It is not open to the Board to reconsider their decision.