asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he is aware that Mrs. Sarah Pearson, Castleruddery, Donard, Co. Wicklow, has been refused an old age pension; that several affidavits were made and forwarded to the Pensions Officer declaring the applicant to be over seventy years of age, and that the Pensions Officer refused either to return the affidavits or give any further information in the case.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - OLD AGE PENSION CLAIM (DONARD).
This claim was disallowed on appeal on the 26th June, 1925, on the ground of insufficient evidence to show that the claimant had then attained the age of 70 years. The claimant, whose maiden name was Sarah Byrne, was baptised on the 7th April, 1857. She asserted she was born on the 5th April, 1855, and maintained that the entry in the Parish Register was incorrect. In proof of her contention she submitted the baptismal certificate of Mary Byrne, whom she stated was her younger sister, baptised on the 28th June, 1857. Affidavits from two neighbours were submitted in which the declarants expressed their opinion that the claimant was over 70 years of age. They mentioned no relevant fact in support of their statement, and offered no explanation of the discrepancy between the baptismal record and the assertion of the claimant that she was born two years prior to the date of her baptism. The parish priest of Rathvilly stated that the certificate which he had issued was correct as far as the entry in the Baptismal Register was concerned, and that there was no entry in the register of the baptism of any member of the claimant's family in the year 1855. The baptismal certificate must obviously be accepted unless convincing evidence is submitted to prove that it is not correct. So far, such evidence has not been submitted.