asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state the reasons for refusing to sanction the old age pension granted by the Old Age Pensions Committee, Mullingar, to Mr. Patrick Dalton, Multyfarnham; if he is aware that this man is destitute; that an affidavit was made by a responsible man named Edward Molloy, Multyfarnham, aged 79, who swore that he was aware that the claimant was over 71 years, and if, under those circumstances, this case will be reconsidered.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - MULTYFARNHAM O.A.P. CLAIM.
The claim was refused on the ground of insufficient evidence to show that he had attained the age of 70. I have no information on the second part of the question, but it was stated in connection with the appeal that his means did not exceed £26 5s. 0d. a year.
An affidavit was received from Edward Molloy stating that he can certify that the claimant is over 71 years of age, and was over 9 years old when deponent came to Multyfarnham 62 years ago. Deponent further stated that he was then 16 years old, but gave no further statement as to his own age or his ground for fixing the age of the claimant.
The claimant's baptismal certificate was not produced, and he was merely recorded as full age at his marriage on the 22nd January, 1884, and there was no further evidence of age in the case.
I have no power to reconsider the decision already given, but if reasonably sufficient evidence of age is now available the claimant could make a new claim to the Pension Officer in the ordinary way.