§ MR. O'KELLYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is true that Esther McDonnell was evicted by Mr. John Watkin from her farm near Kilmore, county Roscommon, last June twelvemonths; whether at that time she owed her landlord only one year's rent; whe- 737 ther, on the departure of the sheriff, Esther McDonnell's eight children returned to the shelter of their home, and their mother was obliged to seek shelter with some neighbour; whether, as a consequence of the want of a mother's care, six of these children took sick, and one of them died; whether, on the 28th of March last, the family was finally evicted from their home; and, whether he will censure whoever is responsible for the denial of Esther McDonnell's child's death contained in his reply to mo of the 6th of April?
§ MR. TREVELYANThe hon. Member's former Question distinctly mentioned the eviction which took place on the 28th of last month, and none other, and certain alleged circumstances connected with it; and the answer which I gave him on the 6th of April was strictly accurate in every respect. The hon. Member now mentions, for the first time, a former eviction, which took place nearly two years ago, and makes further inquiries with respect to it. I find that in June, 1881, Esther M'Donnell was evicted, owing one year's rent due in the previous November. After the Sheriff left, the children returned to the house. Their mother stayed for a few days with a neighbour, when she also returned. Subsequently, some of the children took scarlatina, and in August, 1881, one of them died of that disease. I find no ground for censuring anyone with respect to the information supplied to me to enable me to answer the former Question, which related specifically to a long subsequent occasion.