HC Deb 08 March 1869 vol 194 cc830-1
MR. STACPOOLE

said, he would beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether the opinion of the Law Officers of Ireland has been taken as to the legality of the Warrant appointing Major Hayes and Mr. Brady Inspectors of Fisheries; and, if so, whether there is any objection to lay a Copy of that opinion upon the Table of the House; whether the Commission under which Mr. Lane, Q.C., and the other Fishery Commissioners sat, has been revoked or cancelled; and, if so, when; and, if there is any objection to lay upon the Table of the House any Correspondence that has taken place between Her Majesty's Government and the late Fishery Commissioners on the subject?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. SULLIVAN)

in reply, said, that the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown in Ireland as to the legality of the Warrant appointing Major Hayes and Mr. Brady Inspectors of Fisheries, had been taken, but it was not usual to lay a copy of an opinion of the Law Officers on the table. However, as it had been communicated to Major Hayes and Mr. Brady, he had no objection to state the substance of it which was that the appointment was illegal and invalid, and he might add that the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown in England, which had also been taken on the subject, was substantially the same. The Commission under which Mr. Lane, Q.C., and the other Fishery Commissioners sat had been revoked under Royal Sign Manual, dated the 30th of January of the present year. There was no objection to lay on the table the correspondence between Her Majesty's Government and the late Fishery Commission on the subject.