HC Deb 13 August 1883 vol 283 cc247-8
MR. HEALY

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, If it is the fact that the Shantsnagh police, county Monaghan, visit by day and night the house of Mr. Patrick M'Ginn, of Lengongoun, and that this has gone on for several months; if so, on what grounds; whether any outrages have been committed in Aughnamullen parishe; if so, when; by whose instructions Mr. M'Ginn is thus watched; whether the police who visit his house carry a warrant; if not, what is their authority for making such domiciliary visits; whether their conduct has his sanction; and, if he can state what is the general character borne by Mr. M'Ginn and his family in the district?

MR. TREVELYAN

It is the case, Sir, that the house of Patrick M'Ginn has been for some months past occasionally visited by the police, the reason being that there was strong reason to believe that illegal meetings had been held there. Except for the suspicion on this ground, M'Ginn is a man of good character. The visits were paid by order of the district Resident Magistrate and Sub-Inspector, and were not objected to by M'Ginn. I will make special inquiry as to whether the public interests require that they should be further continued. There have been two serious outrages in the parish named within the past four months—one, the burning of a meadow, and the other, a serious assault.

MR. HEALY

I may inform the right hon. Gentleman that Mr. M'Ginn does strongly object to the visits of the police, and I would ask him to answer that portion of my Question which inquires whether the police carry a warrant, and, if not, what was their authority for entering this man's house?

MR. TREVELYAN

The police visited the house by order of the Resident Magistrate and the Sub-Inspector of the district.

MR. HEALY

Under what Statute? There is a particular section of the Crimes Act authorizing visits when the police carry a warrant. I would ask whether these visits are made under the Crimes Act?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir HENRY JAMES)

said, it was not necessary that the police should have a warrant when the visits were not forcibly made. If M'Ginn did not object, the police had a right to enter.

MR. HEALY

If the police were wanted; but Mr. M'Ginn does not want the police.

MR. TREVELYAN

The police state that they were not armed with a warrant, but that M'Ginn did not object to their visits.

MR. HEALY

There will be objection for the future, and I trust that the right hon. Gentleman will convey that fact to the police.