MR. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether it is a fact that about two o'clock on the morning of 20th February, a body of police knocked up the inmates of Mr. Edward Hussey's house at Ballygrae, county Kerry, and without producing a warrant searched the premises; whether similar nocturnal searches were made in the houses of Maurice Quinlan, Farran; Michael Coffey, Dysart; Henry Williams, and John Harrington, Castle-island; whether anything was discovered to warrant these proceedings; whether midnight searches of the same character are frequently made in the houses of the same persons without result; and, whether instructions will be given to forbid this practice?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe houses of the parties mentioned in the Question, and several others, were visited by the police on the night in question. The police had reason to suppose that a serious outrage had been committed in the locality; and the object of their visits was to see that certain individuals were not absent from their homes, or, if they should be, to ascertain their whereabouts. No search was made of any of the premises, and, therefore, no warrant was necessary. Several similar visits are only made when any serious outrage is reported; and it is then the duty of the police, in the exercise of their discretion, to take all proper measures to detect the offenders.
MR. O'BRIENIs it a fact that the visits have been repeatedly made to the houses of the same persons?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe same persons are often suspected.
MR. O'BRIENWell, are the police to be allowed to invade men's houses and subject them to innuendos of this kind without showing one particle of legal justification?
§ MR. HEALYIs the serious outrage referred to by the right hon. Gentleman the half-killing of two men by a policeman discharging his gun accidentally?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThere is a further Question on that subject on the Paper.