§ MR. REDMONDasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it was a fact that Mr. W. F. Moloney has been imprisoned under the Coercion Act, in Dundalk Gaol, since last November; whether application was made for his removal to Kilmainham, so that he might have reasonable facilities for carrying on his business, and was refused; and, whether his detention in Dundalk is essential for his safe custody, or is simply intended as punishment?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTER, in reply, said, that Mr. Moloney was arrested on the 25th of November, and since his confinement in Dundalk Gaol application had been made for his transfer to Kilmainham; but it had been refused, the Irish Government feeling that it could not be acceded to consistently with the public interest.
§ MR. REDMONDsaid, the right hon. Gentleman had not answered the last part of his Question.
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERsaid, it had been found necessary to select the prison to which "suspects" were sent. That had become necessary from the fact that, with all the precautions which could be taken, correspondence to some extent had been kept up by some of the prisoners in some directions on the very matters for which they had been arrested. The Government must use their discretion with a view to prevent that; and it was in order to prevent it that Mr. Moloney was sent to Dundalk Gaol.
§ MR. LEAMYasked, whether the right hon. Gentleman meant that communications of the kind which he said came out of prison came from Kilmainham only, and from no other prison?
§ MR. W. E. FORSTERI did not say that. I only said I believed they did come out of Kilmainham.