§ 18. Mr. J. P. FARRELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether, in the case of John Sheridan, Drumlish, whose application for an old age pension has been refused, he will request the pension officer who made the objection to visit this man again with a view to ascertaining his present position, having regard to the assignment of his farm and cattle to his son; and whether, in case of a report stating that this man is in need of the pension, his name will be placed in the list forthwith and the payments withheld from him since the claim was first admitted by the pension committee be now made in full to date?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on the 22nd May last. Sheridan's third claim for a pension was also disallowed by the Local Government Hoard on appeal on the same grounds as in the former claim. Pension officers are not under my control, and I have no power to comply with the request in the question.
34. Mr. 'O'DOHERTYasked on what grounds the pension officer appealed against and the Local Government Board refused an old age pension to Edward Kelly, of Balloor, electoral Division of Fanad North, county Donegal, although he was found to be born in the year 1838 and although affidavits have been made by several old inhabitants, one 300 years and another ninety-six years of age, that there was never another of the same name in 1331 the family (number on sub-committee's register 7/392, number on pension officer's register 10/155)?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board refused the pension in this case on the ground that there was no satisfactory evidence as to age. The child of the same name born in 1838 would appear from the Census Return to have died in the same year. In the absence of other evidence, the Local Government Board were unable to accept the affidavits referred to in the question, which were only expressions of opinion on the part of aged persons, as sufficient to establish the claim.