§ Mr. JAMES O'KELLYasked the Chief Secretary whether he will examine into the claim of Mrs. Johnston, of Derrytunny, Carrigeenroe, Boyle, county Roscommon, to an old age pension, and inquire into the reason why the pension has been hitherto withheld?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe local pension committee decided on 7th March last that the claimant had not reached the statutory age. Her appeal from that decision is at present under the consideration of the Local Government Board.
§ Mr. O'SHEEasked the Chief Secretary if he will state for what reason the pension granted to Mrs. Bridget Keane, of Glena-nane, in the Dungarvan district, was cancelled; what were the grounds of the appeal of the pension officer to the Local Government Board; and whether the baptismal certificate of Mrs. Keane proves that she is now over seventy-five years of age?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe pension officer appealed on the ground that the pensioner was under the statutory age, being recorded as only seven years old in the Census Return of 1851, and the Local Government Board upheld the appeal. The baptismal certificate forwarded by Mrs. Keane related to an elder sister named Bridget, who was baptised, according to the certificate, on 23rd June, 1834, and is recorded in the Census Return of 1841 as having died in 1836 at the age of two years.