MR. JUSTIN HUNTLY M'CARTHYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to a letter in The Dublin Freeman's Journal, from the Rev. Daniel Heffernan, C.C., complaining of an attempt to kidnap Catholic children by a Protestant proselytising institution in Dublin; and, whether the Government will institute an inquiry into the matter?
§ MR. HARRINGTONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to different newspaper reports and letters published in the Dublin journals, detailing cases where children taken away from their parents by proselytising agents are locked up in proselytising homes in Dublin, Kingstown, and other parts of Ireland, and denied or refused to their parents when applied for; whether it is a fact that the wives and daughters of persons occupying official positions in Ireland are engaged in this traffic; whether it is his intention to propose any amendment of the Laws, with a view to punishing persons who so retain children against the consent of their parents; and, whether he will cause in- 1404 quiry to be made, with a view of ascertaining to what extent the Law is being violated in this respect?
§ MR. TREVELYANI have seen two letters in a Dublin newspaper of the character mentioned, which are, probably, the communication to which the hon. Member for Athlone (Mr. J. H. M'Carthy) refers. I am informed that they have reference to cases which are the subject of certain ex parte applications recently made to the Court of Queen's Bench in Ireland for habeas corpus orders, and that affidavits have been filed in that Court denying the statements made in the affidavits upon which the applications were made; and that the cases are now at issue in the Court. With regard to the latter part of the Question of the hon. Member for Westmeath (Mr. Harrington), the Government have no information that any such traffic, as is suggested, is carried on. I am advised that the law provides any aggrieved person an ample remedy for the offence of unlawfully taking or detaining children from their parents or guardians, and that no amendment is necessary. There does not appear to be any ground upon which the Government could institute the inquiries suggested. The inquiry will probably be ample in the Courts of Law; but we can judge after it has concluded.
§ MR. HARRINGTONThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered whether the wives and daughters of Judges and others occupying official positions in Ireland are concerned in this traffic; and I would also ask him if the Government are not in possession of information on this subject; and, whether he does not think it will be well for them to make inquiries?
§ MR. TREVELYANI think the hon. Gentleman will see that whether these proceedings should be characterized as "traffic" is precisely the question now being tried in the Courts of Law.
§ MR. HARRINGTONI am not at all referring to cases in the Courts of Law. I am aware certain cases have been brought into the Courts of Law; but what I want to ask the right hon. Gentleman is this—While the law does contain provisions to punish persons— ["Order!"]—I shall put myself in Order by asking a Question—while the law does make provision to punish a person for taking away a child, will the 1405 right hon. Gentleman endeavour to so amend the law that when a child has been taken away the person from whom it was taken shall be able to recover it?
§ MR. TREVELYANIf the law is defective, Sir, I shall certainly think it necessary to take measures for making it effective; but I will be a better judge of that after we see the result of the cases in the Law Courts.