MR. O'CONNOR POWERasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether it is a fact that, under "The English Prisons Act, 1877," English counties are relieved from the payment of expenses for the conveyance of certain prisoners, these expenses being payable out of Parliamentary funds, whereas under the General Prisons (Ireland) Act of 1877, Irish counties are still liable for similar expenses, and have to defray them out of county funds?
§ COLONEL COLTHURSTasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether he is aware that the Grand Jury of the county Cork have recently submitted a case to counsel respecting the incidence of the charge for conveyance of prisoners, and have been informed that under section 21, Prisons Act (Ireland), 1878, the said charge falls upon the county rates; and, if he is prepared to suggest any remedy?
MR. O'CONNOR POWERremarked, that the difference in the law in both countries affected the county which he represented to the extent of£1,000 a-year.
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. Johnson)Sir, the hon. and learned Member for the County Mayo (Mr. O'Connor Power) has strictly and accurately stated the difference under the existing law in England and Ireland as to the source from which the conveyance of prisoners is defrayed. In England it is out of moneys voted by Parliament; in Ireland it is out of the county rates. With reference to the Question of the hon. and gallant Member for Cork County (Colonel Colthurst), it is the fact, as stated in his Question, that the Grand Jury of that county, at the last Spring Assizes, took counsel's opinion on the subject, and were advised as stated in his Question. Accordingly, by a Resolution, they drew 1403 attention to the fact that this annual charge for Cork County was about£1,800, and expressed a hope that this hardship would be redressed and a remedy found by making the source for this expense the same in both countries—namely, moneys voted by Parliament. That, however, is a question of policy, and should be addressed to the Prime Minister.