§ MR. VANCEasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, If his attention has been called to the neglect of the Bank Holidays Act by many of the Banking Companies in several of the provincial town in Ireland; and if the Government will take any steps to enforce the proper observance of its provisions?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. DOWSE), in reply, said, his attention was first called to this matter by the Question of the hon. Member. He had since made inquiries, but regretted to say that he had not been able to obtain any accurate information on the subject. He had no doubt, however, that what the hon. Member had stated was quite correct. With reference to the second portion of the Question, he did not see how the Government could interfere in the matter with any advantage. The Act provided that any bank holiday should be observed in the same way as Christmas Day and Good Friday were now observed, and that no person was compellable to do any work, or make any payment on any Bank holiday other than those he would do or make on Christmas Day or Good Friday. Therefore, those who kept banks open on such days were just in the same position as those who kept shops open on Sunday; the employés were not compelled to serve, and the public ought not to resort to establishments kept open against the law.