§ MR. FLYNNI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether civil processes for damages have been issued by Mr. Thomas Barry, P.L.G., against District Inspectors Ball and Sergeant, R.I.C., Currabeha, Fermoy, in which the defendants are charged with assaulting and wounding the plaintiff; and whether, since plaintiff announced his intention of proceeding by civil bill for the assault, he has been served with a summons for having obstructed the police?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe legal proceedings appear to be still pending, and it would not be proper for me to make a statement in the matter.
§ MR. FLYNNIt is because legal proceedings are still proceeding that I put the question on the Paper.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am unwilling to answer a matter of fact in the question, because it might prejudice the action.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYWhat is the matter of fact which might prejudice the case?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURAs far as I am concerned I should be glad to answer the question; what I refer to is the question of the dates of the two actions.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYWhen Mr. Barry said that he would proceed against the police did they say that if he did so they would bring that charge against him?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think that the hon. Gentleman is in error. As he presses the question I will inform him that the police summons was on the 6th; the notification of the civil case was on the 9th.
§ MR. T. M. HEALYThat is not the point, as the right hon. Gentleman well knows. The point is that Mr. Barry, having informed the police that he should proceed civilly against them they immediately served him with notice of prosecution.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI know nothing of any threat on the part of Mr. Barry.