asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that an applicant for the old age pension in County Waterford (name supplied) has been refused a non-contributory old age pension partly on the basis of the income she gains from winkle picking; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Waterford Old Age Pension Applicant.
16.
The claim to pension in this case was disallowed by the local pension sub-committee on the ground that the claimant's means, assessed as the yearly value of capital including a substantial sum withdrawn from a bank which was not satisfactorily accounted for and income from the sale of winkles exceeded the statutory limit for entitlement to pension. The decision was upheld on appeal.
I did not hear the Parliamentary Secretary fully but is he not aware that this old lady's earnings were from picking periwinkles in all sorts of weather, although she is well over 70 years of age, and that the Department have been callous enough to hold that kind of income against her and that this is a disgrace? Will the Parliamentary Secretary please review the case?
In fairness, the Deputy should withdraw the statement that this is a disgrace. I said that the lady had a sum of money which she withdrew, that she has to account for. Further, the Deputy was informed by the Department on the 26th January of the full particulars as to why she did not qualify. It is a case on which I received several representations from Deputy P. Browne, which I investigated to the hilt and I also let him know the details.
I am glad to know that somebody can make Deputy Geoghegan do a bit of work.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary deny that the Department reckoned as part of an old age pensioner's income money she received from picking periwinkles? Is this true or false? This is in the letter received from the Parliamentary Secretary. Is the Parliamentary Secretary denying this?
I want to say to the Deputy from Waterford that the local pensions committee in Waterford did not grant her the pension. The Deputy should go back to them and ask them why they did not.
A Gestapo system would not be able to get information about a person earning money from picking periwinkles.