HC Deb 02 March 1911 vol 22 cc535-7
Mr. BOLAND

asked the Chief Secretary whether the application for an old age pension of John Currane, Mastergeehy, county Kerry, has been refused on the ground that his name cannot be traced in the Census records; and whether, in view of the fact that his claim has been on each occasion approved by the local committee since the first claim was lodged at the end of 1908, he will cause further inquiry to be made into the matter?

Mr. BIRRELL

The cases of several persons named John Currane have been before the Local Government Board, but none of them can be identified as that of the person referred to by the hon. Member.

Mr. BOLAND

asked on what grounds the application of Patrick Sheehan, Doory East, Mastergeehy, county Kerry, for an old age pension has been refused, in view of the fact that he has furnished all the evidence he could procure in proof of his having exceeded the statutory age; whether the applicant's father was a labourer, and that some of his children were brought up by relatives who happened to be a little better off than he was, so that the Census enumerators possibly could never find the whole family together at any time; and whether further inquiry will be made into the facts of the case?

Mr. BIRRELL

The Local Government Board upheld the pension officer's appeal on the ground that there was no proof that Patrick Sheehan had reached the statutory age. If Sheehan can produce satisfactory evidence that he has attained the age of" seventy, it is open to him to make a fresh claim.

Mr. O'MALLEY

asked the Chief Secretary if he will cause an inquiry to be made into the case of Mrs. Honoria Ward, who satisfied the old age pension sub-committee at Clifden, county Galway, that she, being over seventy years of age, was entitled to an old age pension, but the appeal of the pension officer against her claim was sustained by the Local Government Board; and whether, in view of the evidence that this woman was born in 1840, he will have the case re-considered?

Mr. BIRRELL

In the case of Honor Ward, of Fountain Hill, Claddaghduff, Clifden, the Local Government Board upheld the pension officer's appeal, as there was no satisfactory evidence that she had reached the statutory age. There was no evidence put before the Board that the claimant was born in 1840.

Mr. FRANCIS MEEHAN

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that it is the custom and practice of the Local Government Board to take the opinions of paid officials of the Government in preference to the sworn testimony of independent and reliable witnesses, such as clergymen, doctors, rate-collectors, etc., in all matters pertaining to the granting of old age pensions in Ireland; and whether in future cases where applicants whose names cannot be found in the Census will be decided on the merits of evidence produced before the local pension committee?

Mr. BIRRELL

The Local Government Board do not accept the opinions of pension officers in preference to those of other persons regarding the age or means of claimants for old age pensions, nor can the Board, as an independent appellate tribunal, decide appeals solely on the merits of the evidence brought before local pension committees. Their practice has always been to consider the evidence submitted on its merits, irrespec- tive of the conclusions formed by other persons after consideration of part or the whole of such evidence.