§ Mr. DEVLINasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state the circumstances under which certain patients in 924W the workhouse infirmary in the Glenamaddy Union, county Galway, were deprived of their old age pensions, although they were willing to pay for their maintenance; also on what grounds the pension of Michael Murray, in the same district, was reduced; whether the reduction was contrary to the rule laid down in the Pawley decision; and whether he will direct that these pensions be restored?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEIn order to facilitate inquiry I will ask the hon. Member to give me the names of the persons to whom he alludes in the first part of the question. I am inquiring into the case of Michael Murray, and will inform the hon. Member of the result.
§ Mr. DORISasked upon what grounds the Local Government Board for Ireland disallowed an old age pension granted by the Louisburgh (county Mayo) pension subcommittee to Ellen Sammon (née Gordon), of Askelane, Louisburgh; and whether, having failed to procure any record of her age in the census returns or church registers, the claimant produced a certificate that she was married in April, 1861, over fifty years ago, which, supported by the personal appearance of the claimant, the sub-committee accepted as sufficient evidence that she had reached the qualifying age?
§ Mr. BIRRELLEllen Sammon was married, as stated, in April, 1861. Her parents' family was treated in the census returns of both 1841 and 1851. The claimant's name was not in the list of the family in the former year, from which it would appear she was not then born, whilst in 1851 her age was given as seven years. No other satisfactory evidence being produced, the Local Government Board accordingly disallowed her claim to a pension on the ground that she has not yet attained the statutory age.
§ Mr. LUNDONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland on what grounds the pension was taken from Ellen McNamara, of Ballycashown, Cappamore, county Limerick; whether he is aware that this woman produced her marriage certificate dated January, 1859, as well as the affidavits of people more than eighty years of age, to show that she was more than the age limit; why did the pension officer and the Local Government Board allow her pension for a period of six months and then take it from her; and what new evidence was produced to uphold such action on their part.
925W
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis case has been three times before the Local Government Board, but on no occasion have they allowed Ellen McNamara's claim to a pension. No affidavit from a person claiming to be more than eighty years of age has been forwarded to the Board, and the claimant's marriage took place in January, 1860, not 1859, as stated. Her parents were traced in the Census Return of 1841, but they had then no child named Ellen, from which it would appear that she was born subsequently to the taking of the Census on the 6th June, 1841, and no other satisfactory evidence was produced. Her third claim was disallowed in March last, but if she makes a fresh claim the Board would be prepared to hold that she has now attained the age of seventy years unless evidence to the contrary were forthcoming.