§ MR. MURPHYasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether it is the intention of the Government to make provision in the present Session for conferring Bankruptcy jurisdiction upon the Courts of the Recorders of Cork and Belfast when constituted under the County Officers and Courts (Ireland) Bill, now before the House; and, if not, whether, having regard to the declaration of the Lord Chancellor of England (when introducing the Judicature (Ireland) Bill on the 16th day of March last year) as to the claims of Cork and Belfast for Local Bankruptcy Courts, he is prepared to state if the subject is under the consideration of the Government, with the view to legislation?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. GIBSON)I beg to inform the hon. Gentleman that some provisions for conferring bankruptcy jurisdiction upon the local Courts in Belfast and Cork are contemplated this Session by the County Officers and Courts Bill, one section of which will enact that no additional salary should be paid to the officers of the Courts of Belfast and Cork by reason of any Bankruptcy jurisdiction being afterwards conferred upon them. As to the second part of the Question, the Government is fully impressed with the importance of the topic and the deep interest felt in it in Cork and Belfast. The matter could not be satisfactorily dealt with in either of the Irish Law Bills now before the House; but it will receive the early attention of the Government; and I intend, during the Easter Recess, to confer with the Lord Chancellor of Ireland on the subject.