§ MR. HEALYasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether the informer Walsh, of whom Baron Dowse remarked— 1157
A worse specimen of humanity, if the word humanity could be applied to such a person, never in the whole course of my experience, which I am sorry to say is rather long, have I met with than this man Walsh. The jury should be careful before they believe the evidence of such a man,has been rewarded by the Crown; if so, out of what fund; on what portion of the Estimates will his remuneration become a charge; how much money he has been paid; whether he gave information before or after his arrest; and, if it is intended to employ him as a witness at any future trial?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. PORTER),in reply, said, he had already answered the first part of the Question. This man was arrested on the 7th of January, 1882, and discharged on the 27th February, 1882. It was not until the month of February, 1883, that he gave any information on the subject on which he was examined afterwards. He was in St. Helen's, Lancashire, at that time, and brought to Ireland; and, up to the present time, he was supported as any other witness would be; but he had received no money whatever in the nature of reward or otherwise. He (the Attorney General for Ireland) was not aware of any circumstances under which he would be examined in another case by the Crown, although he could not say that circumstances would not arise to render that necessary.