§ Mr. DORISasked the Secretary to the Treasury why an old age pension of 5s. 1520W per week granted by the Foxford sub-pension committee, county Mayo, to Mary Roache, Fisherhill, has been reduced to 3s. per week; and can he give details of the pension officer's latest estimate of her means?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI am making inquiries in this case, and will communicate the result to the hon. Member in due course.
§ Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to a meeting of the county Kerry old age pension committee in reference to the resignation of the Ardfert pension committee; whether he agrees with the views of the pension officer, as stated in this report, in estimating the means of applicants; whether it is the policy of the Local Government Board for Ireland that the sons of Irish farmers should not get married and take over their father's farms until their fathers die; and whether, under all the circumstances, he will order a public inquiry into the whole matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI have seen a newspaper report of the meeting referred to. In the three cases which led to the resignation of the Ardfert pension committee the Local Government Board agreed with the pension officer that the value of the maintenance and other privileges enjoyed by the claimants exceeded £31 10s. a year. The failure of these three people to obtain pensions is not, in the Board's opinion, likely to interfere with the matrimonial prospects of the young people in Kerry. If marriages are arranged and farms transferred with the object of securing pensions for the owners, the Old Age Pensions Act expressly precludes the old people from securing any advantage by the transfer. As I have already informed the hon. Member, there does not appeal to be any necessity for a public inquiry in this matter.