§ MR. JUSTIN M'CARTHYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant 937 of Ireland, Whether it is true that Francis Lynch, a tenant on the land of Lord Granard, county Longford, was evicted on the 25th of November 1881, but, believing that possession had not been properly taken, went to live in a house on the land, which was repaired by the Land League; whether he was summoned, for forcible possession, to Ballinalee Petty Sessions, and the case dismissed; whether he was summoned for being a trespasser, on the 19th instant, to the same court, before a special resident magistrate, when the case was again dismissed; whether Lynch, returning from court to his house, found it tumbled down by emergency men who are protecting some farms in the neighbourhood; and, whether the Irish Executive will take any steps to protect and compensate Lynch, and to punish any persons who have committed a broach of the Law in his case?
§ MR. TREVELYANLynch was evicted in 1881, owing six years' rent. He subsequently went to live in a house on the farm from which he had been evicted. In September of the following year he was summoned for forcible possession. The proceedings were taken under Section 8 of the Prevention of Crime (Ireland) Act; and the case was dismissed on the ground of the length of time which had elapsed since the execution of the writ, it being more than nine months. He was afterwards summoned for trespass, and the case was dismissed without prejudice, because the complainant had no evidence in Court to prove the eviction. While the second case was going on the house was knocked down as stated; and Lynch has, I am informed, declared his intention of seeking legal redress. I am not aware that any breach of the law has been committed in this case; but if Lynch conceives that he has any legal ground of complaint, the law is open to him. Of course, the Executive has no power to compensate him, even if he is in the right in the dispute.