§ Mr. DANIEL BOYLEasked the Chief Secretary why Mrs. Bridget M'Donnell, of Behee, in the Killala union, county Mayo, has been deprived of her old age pension; if he is aware that Mrs. M'Donnell was in receipt of a pension of 5s. per week from 1st January, 1909, for nearly six months, when the pension officer raised an age objection; that Mrs. M'Donnell was consequently put to the expense and trouble of procuring a certified copy of the 1841 Census Return, showing her to have then been five years of age; that her pension was then restored for a brief period; and that the pension officer again intervened and without cause stated has deprived her of her pension?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe pension officer raised a question in this case in October, 1909, on the ground that the Census Return for 1851 showed Mrs. M'Donnell to have been only seven years old at that date. The Local Government Board on receipt of the pension officer's appeal gave her full opportunity of showing that she had reached the statutory age, but she merely alleged that she was five years of age in 1841, furnishing neither a copy of the 1841 Census Return, nor any other evidence to support her assertion. The Board accordingly decided that she had not yet attained the age of seventy years.
§ Mr. DANIEL BOYLEasked on what grounds Patrick Weir, of Ballydarrig, in the Ballina old age pension sub-district, county Mayo, has been deprived of his pension by the Local Government Board; if he is aware that the pension officer after full investigation recommended Weir for a pension of 4s. a week; that the sub-committee considered him to be entitled to 5s. per week; that the pension officer appealed to the Local Government Board against the committee's decision; that the Local Government Board, without hearing any evidence in support of Weir's claim, ruled that he was not entitled to any pension; and whether such decision was wholly irregular on the appeal submitted, namely, as to whether Weir's pension was to be 4s. per week or 5s. per week?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI understand that Weir was allowed a pension of 5s. by the subcommittee, and that the pension officer, who had recommended only 4s., appealed. The Local Government Board, when considering the appeal, had before them full particulars as to Weir's holding, and, esti-1468W mating that his means exceeded the statutory limit, they disallowed his claim. They point out that this decision was perfectly regular, inasmuch as when an appeal is made in respect of a claim the claim itself stands referred to the Board for final adjudication, and not merely the point in dispute between the pension officer and the sub-committee.
§ Mr. DANIEL BOYLEalso asked the same right hon. Gentleman if he is aware that Mary Killeen, of Ballinlena, in the Killala pension district, county Mayo, has been deprived of her old age pension because of her inability to find proof of her age either in the Census Returns or parochial registers; that Mary Killeen is well known in the Killala district to be over seventy years of age, and that persons known to be her junior in years but who have been able to find proofs of age are now in receipt of pensions; and whether there is any ground for hope that Mrs. Killeen, either by effluxion of time or the evidence of neighbours, will ever be able to satisfy the Local Government Board that she has reached seventy years of age?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board disallowed Mary Killeen's pension on the ground that she had failed to prove that she had attained the statutory age. She has now lodged a fresh claim, which is before the Board on appeal, and she will be given an opportunity of furnishing any evidence which may be likely to afford proof of her age.
§ Mr. HAZLETONasked whether the Local Government Board, before deciding on the claim of Michael Devane, of Cloonrane, Ballindine, county Galway, to a pension, will refer the case to the pension officer on the question of age.
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe answer is in the affirmative.