HC Deb 28 November 1916 vol 88 cc190-1W
Mr. F. MEEHAN

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Margaret Lea, of Manorhamilton, was awarded an old age pension by the Manorhamilton sub-committee on the 31st of January, 1916, but on appeal by the pension officer it was disallowed on the ground that her age could not be found in the Census returns; and whether, having regard to the fact that she is an old infirm woman and apparently well over seventy-five years of age, and has no means of living, an inspector would interview her with a view of giving an opinion on her age and granting her the pension?

Mr. DUKE

Margaret Lea's claim to an old age pension was disallowed on the ground that there was no satisfactory evidence that she had reached seventy years of age. An exhaustive search of the records of the parish in which she claimed to have been living in 1851 was made on behalf of the Local Government Board in the Census for that year, but no trace of her family could be found. There was not sufficient evidence of the time and place of her carriage to enable a search to be made for her age at that time. No fresh claim has, however, come before the Board, and they have therefore no grounds for making further inquiry as suggested.

Mr. DUFFY

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Joseph Doherty, Crow Street, Gort, applied for an old age pension before the Gort sub-pension committee at their meeting on the 4th July last, his claim being objected to by the pension officer on the grounds that there was no evidence of his age and no trace forthcoming from the Census records of 1841, or 1851; whether be is aware that the committee on investigation of his claim requested the Local Government Board to send down an inspector to interview him before deciding an appeal that may be raised; and, if so, on what evidence the Local Government Board decided against him on the 10th August following, before complying with the request of the local pension committee?

Mr. DUKE

The facts are as stated in the question The claim was disallowed on the ground that there was no satisfactory evidence that the claimant had attained the age of seventy. The onus of proof rests upon the claimant. The Local Government Board are unable to send an inspector in every case. In this case there was no evidence to indicate that an inspection was likely to be of use.