asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he will state the grounds on which a claim of Mrs. Shiels, Gowna, Co. Cavan, to an old age pension was disallowed by his Department.

An appeal was decided in this case on the 19th November, 1930. It was determined that the claimant was not entitled to any pension as she failed to show that she fulfilled the statutory qualification as to age.

Is it not usual for the Minister's Department to accept proof of age, when the baptismal certificate is not available, from the school register?

Yes, but although it is claimed that the school record existed in this particular case, repeated efforts to obtain a certified extract from it have not been fruitful.

I was given to understand that such record was sent to your Department, and I was wondering whether some other record was unearthed to disprove the accuracy of the school record.

No. A certified extract from the school register was not sent on to the Department, although it was repeatedly asked for. If the applicant could get a certified extract from the school register it would provide certain evidence which we could examine and consider. Although in this case a number of efforts were made to obtain such certified extract, it was not obtained, though a certificate was obtained saying that such an entry existed.

Certified by whom?

By the teacher.

That is what you want?

I want the actual extract from the register; not a statement by the teacher that it exists.

Is the Minister aware that if he allowed Deputies to interview the appeals officer in the Custom House it would give much more satisfaction to all-concerned?