HC Deb 17 March 1913 vol 50 cc713-4W
Mr. SHEEHAN

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Mrs. Johanna Murphy made an application at the Aherla post office last September for an old age pension, filling up the usual form and showing her certificate of birth that she was seventy years of age on the 1st January, 1913, whether she was informed in the first week of February, 1913, by the clerk of the Bandon (No. 1) pension sub-committee that the committee did not meet until the last Monday in January, and that she was granted pension allowance from that date; will Mrs. Murphy be deprived of her pension for four weeks from 1st January owing to the failure of the committee to meet; and, if not, what steps must be taken to recover the amount properly due to her?

Mr. MASTERMAN

I am making inquiries in this matter, and will communicate with the hon. Member in due course.

Mr. HAZLETON

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Local Government Board will reconsider the claim of Pat Cunningham, Caherlistrane, county Galway, to an old age pension, seeing that his former holding was transferred by him to his son on his marriage early in 1908, and that since then he has been entirely without means of his own?

Mr. BIRRELL

It is not open to the Local Government Board to reconsider their decision with regard to Pat Cunningham's claim for pension.

Mr. JOHN ROCHE

asked the Chief Secretary why Mrs. Kelly, of Killeen, Tynagh, county Galway, Portumna union, was deprived of her old age pension which she had been receiving for some months; and whether he will see that it be restored to her?

Mr. BIRRELL

So far as the records of the Local Government Board show, this woman does not appear ever to have been in receipt of an old age pension. Claims made by her were disallowed by the Board on appeal in March, 1912, and on the 15th ultimo, respectively, on the ground that her means exceeded the statutory limit. The farm owned by her late husband, and on which she is at present maintained, comprises over thirty acres and carried thirteen head of cattle, in addition to pigs, sheep and fowl.