§ Mr. FARRELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Patrick Collum, who resides at Lettergeeragh, Ballinamuck, has been now for nearly four years deprived of any pension because he refused to take 2s. allotted to 2897W him in the first instance; and if the Local Government Board will now reconsider this man's case?
§ Mr. SHORTTPatrick Collum's claim for an old age pension has been disallowed by the Local Government Board on appeal on five occasions, and he does not appear to have been at any time awarded a pension of 2s. a week, as stated in the question. The claims were disallowed on the ground that Collum's means were over the statutory limit, and the Board in this case caused a special investigation to be made by one of their inspectors. He has over 1½ acres of potatoes, 1 acre of oats, 2 acres of hay, 8 acres of grass, 100 crates of turf, two cows, two calves, an ass, one sow, and stores and considerable quantity of fowl.
§ Mr. FARRELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will state the approximate amount paid in old age pensions in county Longford; the number of persons in receipt of same; and the total increase granted by way of war bonus?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe latest figures available are those for the year 1916–17 given on page 108 of the Eighth Report of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise (Cd. 8938). In that year the approximate amount paid in old age pensions in the Administrative County of Longford was £30,573, and the number of persons in receipt of pensions was 2,367. At the present time practically all old age pensioners are in receipt of an additional allowance of 2s. 6d. a week as well as of the pensions, and the total amount of these additional payments for Longford will be about £15,000 for the current year.