§ DR. TANNER (Cork Co., Mid)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether his attention has been directed to the sentence of four months' imprisonment recently passed by County Court Judge Ferguson, at the Macroom Quarter Sessions, upon Mr. Denis O'Shea, of Carriganimma, for intimidating a Mr. Cotter by writing him a certain letter; whether it is a fact that Cotter swore that he did not receive the alleged intimidating letter, and subsequently, when the letter was read to him, further stated that even had he received the letter it would not have intimidated him; and, whether a further judicial investigation of the case will be ordered?
§ THE SOLICITOR GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN) (Dublin University)(who replied) said: The Chief Secretary has no power to review the decisions of County Court Judges. The course suggested in the last paragraph of the Question cannot be taken.
§ DR. TANNERsaid, he must really ask the hon. and learned Gentleman to give him an answer to the second paragraph of the Question—namely, whether Mr. O'Shea was in prison for having intimidated a man who stated he was not intimidated, and for having written an intimidatory letter, which letter he stated he never received?
§ MR. MADDENsaid, he had already stated to the hon. Member that this person was in prison under an order of the County Court Judge, and that the Chief Secretary had no authority or right to go into the question.
§ DR. TANNERintimated that he would raise the Question on a future day, in another form.