§ MR. ARTHUR O'CONNORasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the cases of Patrick M 'Quinlan and William M 'Quinlan his brother, now confined in Limerick Prison on suspicion of being accessory to an attack upon a dwelling-house, have been recently under his notice; whether he is aware that both men have characterised the charge as false; whether a Mr. Brosnan, arrested on the same charge and at the same time, was discharged after four months' detention, whereas these young men have been in prison for twelve months; whether he is aware that the younger, Patrick, had recently returned from college, and was about to present himself for his examinations; whether application was made in January for permission for him to go up for examination, and whether any reply was sent to that application, and whether he will now be permitted to present himself; and, whether he has any special reason for detaining these boys?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. W. M. JOHNSON)Sir, the cases of the two M'Quinlans were reconsidered on Friday last, and the decision arrived at was that they could not be released at present. They may have characterized the charge as a false one; but that did not necessarily make it so. As to Mr. Brosnan, he was discharged last August on a sufficient undertaking. Patrick M 'Quinlan applied last January for permission to go up for a Civil Service examination, but was informed that His Excellency was not able to accede to his request. There are sufficient reasons, in the opinion of the Government, for the detention of these two persons at present.