§ MR. TOTTENHAMasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether, on Saturday 21st May, the sheriff of the county of Limerick took a force of two hundred soldiers and one hundred police to protect him in the execution of certain ejectments and legal decrees in the neighbourhood of New Pallas, county of Limerick; whether he neglected to provide a sufficient (or any) staff of civil assistants, and had, in consequence, to return without executing the ejectments; and, whether it is the duty of the sheriff to provide himself with such assistance; and, in the event of his neglecting to do so, whether he can be held liable for the cost incurred by the State in the collecting and sending out of so large a force, which failed in its object owing to such neglect of duty?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. LAW)The facts appear to be correctly stated in the Question of the hon. Member. The attention of the Government has already been called to the matter; and on the 26th instant a communication was addressed to the sub-sheriff asking for an explanation; but as yet no answer has been received.