§ Mr. BOLANDasked what decision had been arrived at with respect to the old age pension claim of Timothy Sullivan, East End, Caherciveen, to which his attention has been frequently called?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board have allowed Timothy Sullivan a pension of 5s. a week.
§ Mr. BOLANDasked on what grounds the claim to an old age pension of Nora Day, Kinnard West, Ballinskelligs, has been rejected by the Local Government Board, in view of the fact that, according to the basis of calculation arrived at By the Valentia sub-committee and adopted by the Local Government Board at the time, her means do not exceed the statutory limit?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Local Government Board upheld the pension officer's appeal on the ground that Nora Day's means exceeded the statutory limit. It is not the case that the Board at any time adopted the basis on which the Valentia Pension Sub-Committee calculate means.
§ Mr. BOLANDasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Mr. Maurice Fitzgerald, J.P., has produced his father's labour books for the year 1854, showing the name of Mary Kelly, and that the pension sub-committee has the sworn evidence of Mrs. Mary Burns, née Kelly, of Coromore, Valentia, that she is the Mary Kelly who worked for the late Mr. Fitzgerald, of Kinneigh, in 1854; and, in view of these facts, will he explain the rejection of this claim on the plea that there is no evidence of age?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe information referred to was not put before the Local Government Board by Mrs. Burns, nor did she even allude to it when asked by them for any evidence she had as to her age.
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§ Mr. O'SULLIVANasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Ellen Leen, of O'Brennan, Tralee, applied for and obtained an old age pension of 5s. a week, and that the pension officer raised, after some time, the question of means, and as she was not able to show a legal conveyance transferring her farm to her son, who is married and owns the land, she has been refused the pension; and whether he will state why in such cases, and more especially as the rent of this farm is only £4 per annum, the question of means is raised?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe pension officer raised a question as to the means of Ellen Leen, and in September, 1909, the Local Government Board determined that she was not entitled to any pension. A subsequent claim was passed by the Ardfert Pension Sub-Committee in April, 1910, but on appeal by the pension officer it was disallowed by the Board. Ellen Leen is joint owner with two other persons of a holding of 101 acres of land good and bad. Before the Board disallowed the second claim one of their inspectors visited the farm, and reported that Mrs. Leen was in comfortable circumstances. As regards the last portion of the question the Board have nothing to do with the raising of questions.
Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDasked why Bridget O'Brien, of Scariff, county Clare, did not receive an old age pension?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Clare County Pension Committee refused Bridget O'Brien's claim on the ground that she had not resided in the United Kingdom during the whole of the last twenty years. She appealed to the Local Government Board, but they confirmed the Committee's decision.
§ Sir JOHN DEWARasked the Lord Advocate if he is aware that Margaret Fraser, in the parish of Kirkhill, Inverness-shire, applied for an old age pension last year; that her application was approved of by the local committee, but appealed against by the pension officer so long ago as 28th December, 1910; and whether, seeing that the Local Government Board has not yet given a decision, he will explain the cause of this delay?
§ Mr. UREI have been informed of the facts of this case. It appears that there was no evidence of the applicant being seventy years of age beyond her own statement made to the Poor Law authorities about Whitsunday of last year. This was considered sufficient by the local2148W pension committee, but the pension officer appealed against their decision, and the Local Government Board have now sustained his appeal. Any delay that has taken place has been due to the special efforts which the Board made, along several lines of inquiry suggested by the claimant, to obtain evidence that the claimant is seventy years of age.