HC Deb 07 March 1887 vol 311 cc1401-2
MR. P. O'BRIEN (Monaghan, N.)

asked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether the Jury Panel of the County Monaghan, for the trial of prisoners at the coming Assizes, has been increased 50 per cent over that of last year; whether, whilst the Catholics in that county are nearly three-quarters of the population, the Catholics on the present Jury Panel are not one-third; whether a number of those on the Panel are there contrary to the provisions of Lord O'Hagan's Act, having served within the last three years, and some even at the last Assizes—namely, George Moore, Samuel Wade, Alexander E. Lammie, Charles Ownens, William Parkes, numbered respectively 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7 on the present Panel, and Nos. 6, 74, 65, 88, and 49 on the Panel of last Assizes; whether these persons were actually sworn as jurors on a trial for murder at such Assizes; and, whether he has any information to show that there are plenty of names on the Jurors' List of persons who have not served for three years or upwards, from whom a Panel might be made out without the above-named persons? I would like to ask a supplementary Question, of which I have given the right, hon. and learned Gentleman private Notice. It is, whether—

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. HOLMES) (Dublin University)

(interrupting) said: I will not give any information with regard to the supplementary Question of which I have had Notice. It refers to a case which is going on to-day, and it would be obviously inconvenient that I should answer it. With regard to the Question on the Paper, I have to say that I do not know, and have no means of knowing, the proportion of Catholics upon the present Panel of the County Monaghan; and I can only say, in reference to this, that the proportion of Catholics to the population can afford no test whatever as to the proportion of Catholics upon the Jurors' Lists. [Ironical cheers from the Irish and Radical Benches.] This is obvious to any person who reads the statutes. As regards the latter portion of the Question, I cannot go into a discussion in answer to a Question in this House with regard to individual names; but I have brought the matter before the proper officials in the County Monaghan, and I can find no room for believing in any way that the Jury Panel has not been constructed regularly.

MR. P. O'BRIEN

Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman think it advisable that 12 Protestants should have been empanelled this morning to try an Orangeman for the murder of a Catholic?

MR. HOLMES

I have told the hon. Member that I will not answer that Question.

DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)

The right hon. and learned Gentleman has not answered the Question, which asks whether the Panel has been increased 50 per cent.?

[No reply.]