§ MR. HEALYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, 1849 Whether the Government have yet decided, with regard to the retention in office of the Collector General for Dublin; and, whether it is usual to allow a charge of fraud to hang for five weeks over the head of an important public servant intrusted with the collection of millions of money, without the Government coming to any conclusion as to his suspension or dismissal?
§ MR. TREVELYAN, in reply, said, the question was being carefully considered by the Lord Lieutenant, who had now returned to Dublin. The last paragraph was a general Question, to which he did not think he could give any answer except that the circumstances of this case were not such as would, for instance, require the suspension of a public servant from his duties while the inquiry was going on.
§ MR. HEALYasked if the right hon. Gentleman was aware that his Predecessor in Office (Mr. Forster) removed Dr. Kenny from his office on a "reasonable suspicion," and yet here was the case of a man who had millions of public money passing through his hands, and who for five weeks had been allowed to remain in his office with a charge of fraud against him? There was the greatest anxiety among the citizens of Dublin about this matter.
§ MR. TREVELYANI cannot give any answer beyond what I have already stated.