asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether people applying for an old age pension are asked to state whether they were ever in jail, and, if so, if he will state why they must make this statement.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Queries to Applicants for Old Age Pensions.
Old age pension claimants are not usually asked to say if they were ever in prison. Occasionally, however, such an inquiry might be considered necessary because it is provided in the Old Age Pensions Act, 1908, Section 3 (3), that where a person of 60 years of age or upwards has been convicted by a court and is liable to have a detention order made against him under the Inebriates Act, 1898, the court may order that he be disqualified from receiving a pension for such period, not exceeding ten years, as the court directs.
I must say that I never knew that that was part of the old age pension code.
Will the Minister change it?
Do not get cross. Would the Minister not consider giving a general direction that this archaic procedure should be abandoned in all cases because it is not a good thing to maintain a right or a process of asking individuals a question of that character if it is not necessary under existing circumstances?
I do not know why the Deputy concluded that I was going to get cross. I suppose it is an indication of the extent to which he misunderstands me. I thought I was in very good humour.
Tell us about the old age pensioners.
I was not aware, as I said, that the old age pension code provided for such a question at all and I was amazed that it should have escaped the attention of all those who down the years have been responsible for amending legislation. I am hoping that, maybe, some time, I would look into this matter and see that it is erased from the old age pension code.
Would the Minister not agree that there may be a possibility that the reason that the law was so framed was that the State could inquire whether certain old age pensioners were in receipt of Old-I.R.A. pensions or disability allowances as a result of their being in jail for their country, which would be of no interest to the Deputy and his cohorts?
Do not be more of an idiot than you can help.
That is not nice.
The Deputy's question was not nice.
I would bring to your attention the word "idiot" used by Deputy Sweetman.
I did not hear the word. If it was used, it should not have been used.
I used it, oh yes.
Res loquitur ipsa.