§ MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHY (for Mr. SEXTON)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the Irish General Prisons Board have, under the authority conferred upon them by the Lord Lieutenant's regulations, specially exempted any person now confined in Kilmainham Prison from the operation of that article of daily routine which requires all persons under the Lord Lieutenant's warrant to go to bed at half-past eight in the evening; whether, under the rule authorising the General Prisons Board to
Permit the Governor to modify the routine in regard to any prisoner, so far as to dispense with any practice which, in the opinion of the Governor, is clearly unnecessary in regard to that particular prisoner,such permission has been given and 150 exercised in the case of any prisoner with reference to the time of going to bed; and, whether, as to remain in darkness from such an early hour as half-past eight in the evening enhances the penalty of imprisonment, the Lord Lieutenant will direct that any prisoner who may desire shall be allowed to have light in his cell, and to read or write until, say, eleven or twelve o'clock?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERThere is no regulation specially exempting prisoners from the operation of the rule which requires them to go to bed at half-past 8; nor has the Prisons Board given any permission to the Governor of the gaol to alter the hours. Any prisoner who wishes to have the regulation modified in his favour can apply to the Prisons Board, and the application will be duly considered. But, as a matter of fact, no such application has been made by any person arrested under the Lord Lieutenant's warrant.