THE EARL OF DONOUGHMOREMy Lords, I desire to ask the noble and learned Viscount on the Woolsack a question of which I have given him private notice—namely, whether he has any further communication to make to the House with regard to the condition of affairs in Ireland.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (VISCOUNT BIRKENHEAD)My Lords, I am not in a position to make a detailed statement in addition to the elaborate statement which I made yesterday in the House, but, having regard to the naturally alarming effect of that which it was my duty to state yesterday, I think it convenient to embrace the opportunity offered to me by the noble Earl to inform your Lordships of what has happened since.
I told your Lordships that Mr. Collins hoped to proceed to London last night. He crossed last night and is, of course, to-day in London. Considerable discussion' has taken place between him and the representatives of His Majesty's Government as to the great momentary anxieties of the situation in Ireland and he is very hopeful that even now, at the time at which I speak, or at an early period, all, or almost all, of those persons who were illegally raided and forcibly taken within the frontiers of the Irish Free State will be released. He is very desirous that an impartial Inquiry should examine the evidence in what has been known as the Clones incident, and should reach and state an authoritative and impartial conclusion upon a matter in which the evidence hitherto presented has been so discordant.
There are several other points of the gravest difficulty causing anxiety at the present moment, to some of which I alluded yesterday. Mr. Collins is strongly in favour of the suggestion I then made that liaison officers should be established on each side in what is the most disturbed district at the moment—namely, the border line between the territory of the Northern Government and the Irish Free State. Mr. Collins's views on these and several other matters have been conveyed to Sir James Craig, and it is satisfactory to notice that on several points which have been so conveyed to Sir James Craig, the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, observing the reasonableness which he has never for a moment lost under the very trying situation in which he finds himself, has given a ready assent.
156 I think I am not too sanguine in detecting a hope of co-operation upon these matters, at least between these two men, which affords greater prospect of a pacific outcome from the difficulties of the moment than I have ventured to entertain until now. And, for what it is worth, I can only repeat to your Lordships the reassurance, based upon my own personal conviction, that, just as Sir James Craig is in an extremely trying and anxious position, so Mr. Collins is in an extremely trying and anxious position; and I believe that he is doing his best to carry out the letter and spirit of his obligation. And if these two men, each of whom is bearing so terrible a burden of responsibility, can be reinforced by moderate support in both countries, we may still, I think, venture to entertain the hope that the anxieties of the last few weeks and clays may receive a happy solution.
THE EARL OF MAYOMay I ask the noble and learned Viscount what the composition of the Judicial Inquiry will be?
§ THE LORD CHANCELLORThe noble Earl must not press me too closely upon that. It was only this morning that the suggestion was made and, as far as Mr. Collins is concerned, was accepted. The noble Earl must be content to leave it to us, acting in concert with Mr. Collins and Sir James Craig, to secure that which we shall undertake—that there shall be an Inquiry which by its impartiality will command the support of reasonable persons.