§ Mr. MacVEAGHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Mrs. Maria Morgan, of Ballintoy, county Antrim, has been refused an old age pen- 188 sion by the Local Government Board, although the local committee had approved her claim; whether he is aware that the reason assigned by the Board is that she is an American subject, although she lived only two years in America, returned to Ireland sixteen years ago, was never out of Ireland except for those two years, and never at any time became an American subject; and whether further investigation will be made?
§ Mr. BIRRELLMrs. Morgan has made three claims. Two of these were passed by the local pension sub-committee, but were disallowed by the Local Government Board not on the ground that she was an American subject, but because she had not retained a home in the United Kingdom during her absence from it, and because she failed to show that she had attained the statutory age. Her third claim was rejected by the sub-committee, and also by the Board when she appealed to them. Further investigation can only be made by the Board in the event of an appeal being lodged on a fresh claim.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Local Government Board wrote to this applicant asking her whether she could supply evidence that she had not been more than two years in America, and that that was the only ground they gave for rejecting her claim?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo, I do not understand that that was the only ground. They sought that information from her; but they came to the conclusion that she had not maintained her home in the United Kingdom during her absence, and also that she had not proved that she had attained the age of seventy years.
§ Mr. MacVEAGHHaving regard to the fact that this woman has lived sixty-eight years in Ireland, and only two years in America, does not the right hon. Gentleman think it a great hardship on her to be deprived of a pension, and will he see that in the Amending Bill to the Old Age Pensions Act cases of this kind will be dealt with?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Amending Act was necessary in order to enable the Local Government Board in future to deal in a different manner with these cases from that in which they have hitherto been bound to deal with them. She can make a fresh claim.
§ Mr. EDWARD O'KELLYasked the Secretary to the Treasury if several old age 189 pensioners in the sub-pension district of Baltinglass No. I. have been kept out of their pensions for many weeks, in some cases for eleven and even twelve weeks; and, if so, will immediate steps be taken to prevent the recurrence of this hardship to the pensioners?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTH (Lord of the Treasury)I regret that some delay occurred recently in the delivery of the new pension order books in this district. Steps have been taken to secure punctual delivery in future.
§ Mr. E. O'KELLYWill the right hon. Gentleman make inquiries to see if the pension officer is overworked, and, if so, will an assistant be provided?
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked why Catherine M'Namara, of Glin, county Limerick, a recipient of outdoor relief until this disqualification for an old age pension was removed, did not get the pension book until 8th July last, although she applied for it in December, 1910, and was then qualified for the pension in the matter of her age; and whether she has yet received the amount of pension due to her since last January?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHI find on inquiry that the pension officer has no record of an earlier claim by Catherine M'Namara than one made on 20th March, 1911. This claim was allowed by the committee on 23rd June, 1911, and a book of pension orders dated from 30th June onward has been delivered to her. The pensioner appears in the circumstances to have no title to payment of pension in respect of any earlier date.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Secretary to the Treasury why James Brummel, of Glin, county Limerick, was not provided for four weeks with an old age pension book when the old book was used up; whether he is aware that Brummel has been refused the £l which accrued to his credit in the meantime; and whether, as he was not to blame in the matter, will he take steps to see that this man gets the money that is due to him?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHI find on inquiry that, according to the records kept by the local pension officer, Brummel has been supplied with pension orders in unbroken sequence for the whole of the time that he has been entitled to a pension, i.e., from 22nd January, 1909. I will, however, make further inquiries if the hon. Member will 190 furnish me with fuller particulars as to the sum of £l of winch Brummel says he has been refused payment.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Secretary to the Treasury why the pension officer for Glin district, in the county of Limerick, has only attended the meetings of the Glin sub-committee on one occasion since the Old Age Pension Act passed; and whether, as in many cases of applicants for the pension there is no positive evidence of age but the decision is left to the officer's personal judgment of appearances, he would see that the pension officer attends those meetings, so that he would know the reasons that influence the local committee, consisting of a body of representative men of both sects and generally presided over by a clergyman, in coming to a decision in such cases and further give them a voice in those decisions which at present they do not get?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHAttendance at the meetings of the local pension committee or sub-committee is the right, but not the duty, of the pension officer (No. 11 (3) of the Statutory Regulations of 1908). I am not prepared to require the officer in question to attend all meetings of the Glin sub-committee as a matter of course, as this would seriously interfere with the regular duties of his station.