§ Mr. JOHN O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the pensions officer allowed 4s. per week to John Joyce, Drimeely, Cong; Darby Duffy, Drumshiel, Cong; and Mary Reilly, Knocknageeha, Kilmaine, all in the Cong sub- 891W district, county Mayo; that, after due consideration, the pensions committee increased the allowance to 5s. per week in each case; that an appeal was lodged by the officer; and that the Local Government Board refused to grant any pension to either of the claimants, notwithstanding the fact that the pensions officer, after the necessary inquiry, satisfied himself that these persons were each entitled to 4s. a week; if so, will he state on what grounds the pension granted by the sub-committee on the report of the pensions officer has been disallowed; and whether he will give instructions to have the sum originally granted given to these poor people from 1st January last?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe facts are as stated is the question. The pension officer appears to have determined the incomes of these claimants on the basis of the rent payable by them. When the appeals were made, the Local Government Board, with a view to ascertaining the various sources from which the claimants derived income, caused inquiry to be made as to their stock and crops, and were satisfied, from the information received, that the statutory limit was exceeded in each case. Joyce, who occupies 12 Irish acres of land, appears to possess three head of cattle, 11 sheep, 3 pigs, and a considerable number of fowl; whilst he obtained crops of potatoes, oats, wheat, hay, mangolds, and turnips from his holding. The particulars regarding the means of the other two claimants were substantially the same. The Board's decision in each case is final, and cannot be reconsidered by them.