§ MR. HAYDEN (Leitrim S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether it is the practice in Ireland, as has been stated to be the case in England, to accede to the application of a solicitor to see a prisoner even though no application should have been received from the prisoner himself; and, whether, if so, he will state the grounds on which the application of Mr. Farrall M'Dormell, solicitor, Roscommon, on the 22nd December last, to see his client, Mr. John Fitzgibbon, in Castlebar Prison, was refused, Mr. Fitzgibbon himself not having made any application, as he had no means of knowing anything about legal matters affecting him which were occurring during his imprisonment?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe General Prisons Board report that the practice in Ireland is that when a prisoner makes the application to see a solicitor on bonâ fide legal business the visit is permitted; also, if the prisoner's solicitor seeks to see the prisoner in regard 1143 to bonâ fide pending legal proceedings for or against the prisoner the visit is permitted, provided the prisoner is willing to seethe solicitor. In this case it was reported by the Governor that the prisoner Fitzgibbon was asked whether he wished to see Mr. Farrell M'Donnell, solicitor, on business. His reply was that he had "no legal business to transact with anyone," and the Governor reports that he informed the solicitor accordingly.