HC Deb 25 July 1911 vol 28 cc1633-4W
Mr. BOLAND

asked what grounds an old age pension has been refused to John Sullivan, Toorsaleen, Mastergeehy, in view of the fact that his claim was allowed by the Derriana sub-committee; that he is second in the family, and his elder sister, Mrs. Sheehan, is eighty-one years of age; and whether his name has not been found in the family record in the Census, because as a child he lived with his uncle in Laharan South, Caherciveen, and subsequently at Bahaghs?

Mr. BIRRELL

Mrs. Sheehan appears to be only seventy-two years of age, not eighty-one, and although she stated on one occasion that John Sullivan was the next child to her, at another time she said there were two children between herself and John. The family could not be traced in the 1841 Census Returns, but were found in those of 1851. John's name, however, did not occur in the list of the family. When asked by the Local Government Board for evidence as to age he stated he was unable to account for the absence of his name from the Census of 1851, and asserted he was twelve years old in 1848, but produced no evidence in support of the statement. In the circumstances the Board considered they had no option but to determine that he failed to show that he had attained the age of seventy years. The case was decided by the Board in May, 1910, and if Sullivan is now in a position to show from the Census Return of his uncle's family that he fulfills the statutory condition as to age, it is open to him to make a fresh claim.

Mr. O'DONNELL

asked whether inquiries have been made into the cases of the following evicted tenants, all in the Foley estate, Tralee: Denis Cahill, Clahane; Thomas Costello, Clahane; Jeremiah Sheehan, Clahane; James Gorman, Clahane; Ned Ferris, Clahane; and, if so, what steps will be taken?

Mr. BIRRELL

The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have not received any application for reinstatement from Denis Cahill, Thomas Costello, Jeremiah Sheehan, or James Gorman. They received an application from Edmund Ferris for reinstatement in a holding formerly occupied by him on the Foley Estate and now in possession of other tenants, and after inquiry noted Ferris' name for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land acquired by them.