asked the Minister for Social Welfare why a person in County Offaly (name supplied) who has been seeking an old age pension for the past two years and who is without means has had it only provisionally granted to him since 22nd January, 1974.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Offaly Old Age Pensioner.
47.
The person concerned applied for a non-contributory pension on 22nd January, 1974, and in accordance with the relevant statutory provisions the pension awarded to him was payable only from that date as the application had not been made within four months of his attainment of pensionable age.
While there is no trace in the Department of any earlier claim for a non-contributory pension the person concerned did claim a contributory old age pension about two years ago. That claim was rejected because the statutory contribution conditions were not satisfied. Since there appears to be some doubt as to whether the claimant fully understood the nature of the claim he made on that occasion, I am having inquiries made in the matter to see if there might be grounds to justify payment of the non-contributory pension from an earlier date. I will let the Deputy know the result.