HC Deb 07 August 1888 vol 329 cc1831-2
THE LORD MAYOR OF DUBLIN (Mr. SEXTON)(for Mr. T. M. HEALY) (Longford, N.)

asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been called to the following from The Belfast Morning News of June 25:— Monaghan, Saturday. This morning County Court Judge Wm. N. Barron, Esq., Q.C., took his seat in the Crown Court, for the purpose of disposing of the criminal business of the Sessions. During the swearing of the jury, Mr. James Fitzpatrick, Dromard, Clones, when called to be sworn, refused to be sworn on the Protestant Bible on conscientious grounds. Mr. Johnston (Registrar): Do you refuse to be sworn? Mr. Fitzpatrick; Yes. His Honor: Well, I fine you £2; whether this fine has been, or will be, enforced, and under what powers Judge Barron imposed it; and, what is the age of this Judge?

THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN) (Dublin University)

(who replied) said, he had not seen the report in the paper referred to, and he had no information as to the matters of fact. As to the last paragraph, he understood that Mr. Barron was called to the Bar in 1830.

MR. SEXTON

asked, whether instructions had not been issued to the Courts that Roman Catholics desirous of being sworn on a Roman Catholic Bible should have that Bible presented to them; whether the Court was not obliged to have a Bible which would make the oaths binding on the consciences of witnesses; and, whether this County Court Judge was not the man who had sentenced a prisoner to death for stealing a goat?

MR. JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)

asked if this gentleman was not a Roman Catholic?

MR. MADDEN

said, the explanation of the Judge might differ entirely from the statements which appeared in the report.

MR. SEXTON

Have the Government power to compel the remission of the fine of £2 imposed on a Catholic for insisting that he should be rightly sworn?

MR. MADDEN

Assuming that the fine has been imposed, I do not think the Executive have any power to interfere in the matter.