§ Mr. JOYCEasked whether further inquiry will be made into the case of Hannah Sullivan, of Barry's Lane, Boherboy, Limerick, an applicant for an old age pension, and whose application was passed by the pension committee of the Glentworth 1441W Ward, but was refused by the Local Government Board as she was unable to produce a certificate of her birth, but was able to produce a certificate of her marriage, which showed that the applicant was married over forty-nine years; and, seeing the difficulty that exists in Ireland in procuring birth certificates of seventy years ago, consideration will be given to this woman's case and the full pension granted?
§ Mr. BIRRELLHannah Sullivan was married, as stated, forty-nine years ago, but the Local Government Board did not consider that this fact was sufficient evidence in itself to show that she had attained the statutory age. The Board having given their decision on 28th October, have discharged their duty in the matter.
§ Mr. JOYCEasked the Chief Secretary whether inquiry will be made into the case of Hanora Casey, old age pensioner, living in the Custom House Ward, Limerick, whose pension was stopped in consequence of being an inmate of the Limerick union hospital; whether he is aware that the pension committee of the ward, on investigating the circumstances of the case, allowed the pension to continue, and that the pension officer appealed to the Local Government Board, who disqualified the pensioner; and whether the Old Age Pensions Act disqualifies persons who have to go into union hospitals; and, if not, will this matter be cleared up so that misapprehensions, which constantly occur, may be put an end to?
§ Mr. BIRRELLPersons who are admitted to the workhouse hospital for actual medical or surgical treatment for some specific ailment, or who, on admission, claim to pay and do actually pay the full average cost of maintenance in the hospital are not disqualified for a pension. Hanora Casey, however, does not appear to be in either of these classes. She was admitted to the Limerick Workhouse in December last suffering from senile debility, and the evidence submitted did not show that she either needed or received any medical treatment, neither did she claim to pay and actually pay for the cost of her maintenance in the hospital.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked whether the Local Government Board regulations prevent an applicant for an old age pension whose case has been disallowed from applying again for the pension when four months have not expired since the claim 1442W was disallowed, or where four months have not expired since the claim was last made?
§ Mr. BIRRELLA person may make a claim for an old age pension at any time. Under Article 9 (1)(a) of the Old Age Pensions Regulations, 1911, however, a pension officer is not bound to investigate a claim if a claim made by the claimant within the previous six months has been disallowed, and the officer is not satisfied that there is primâ facie reason to believe that the ground on which the former claim was disallowed no longer holds good.