§ Mr. O'DOHERTYasked the Chief Secretary whether he will state the grounds upon which the Local Government Board refused to sanction an old age pension to John Mooney, of Effishmore, Gleneely, county Donegal, No. 1,171; whether he is aware that the pension committee awarded him a pension of 5s. a 764W week; that the pension officer appealed against such award, but granted 4s. a week; and that the Local Government Board, without any further evidence, granted no pension whatever; whether he is aware that the applicant lives on a small mountain farm of £4 rent; and whether he will take steps to have a pension granted in this case?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe decision of the pension committee and the report of the pension officer in this case are correctly stated in the question. The Local Government Board refused to sanction a pension on the ground that the claimant's means exceeded £31 10s. per annum. He lives on a farm of thirty-four acres, paying a small annuity of £4 2s. 6d. He has six cattle and twenty sheep, besides potatoes, oats, turnips, hay, and free turf, of which he consumed sixty loads.
§ Mr. KELLYasked why Charles Galbraith, of Foyfin, Castlefin, county Donegal, farm labourer, has been deprived of the pension granted to him in January last?
§ Mr. REDMOND BARRYThe Local Government Board upheld the pension officer's appeal in this case, as there was no evidence that the claimant had reached the statutory age.