§ MR. W. REDMOND (on behalf of Mr. JORDAN,) Clare, W.I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if the Prisons Board claim the area in front of the gaol in Enniskillen, extending from the gaol wall to the channel adjoining the county road leading south to Castlecoole; and, if so, is it the duty of the Board to keep it in proper repair and clean it; will they either do so, or hand it over to the Local Authority, the Town Commissioners, to put it into and keep it in proper condition; and, is this gaol being now used as a prison, or is it intended that the authorities will discontinue its use as such, and permit it to fall into further dilapidation; if not, will they instruct an engineer to inspect and report on the condition and appearance of the outside front wall, doors, &c, with a view to due repairs?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. MADDEN,) Dublin UniversityThe General Prisons Board report that the area in front of Enniskillen Prison is their property, but that not having been occupied for prison purposes horse fairs have been customarily held there for many years, and to these fairs the unsatisfactory condition of this area is primarily due. The Board would be prepared to fence in the space, but they fear that the prohibition of the horse fair might cause public inconvenience, 312 unless the Town Commissioners can arrange for the holding of the fair elsewhere. If the Town Commissioners cannot make such an arrangement, the Board are of opinion that the Commissioners should undertake the cleansing of the place. The prison is still used as a minor one. Its walls were disfigured by some of the boys of the town in ball playing, but this practice was discontinued through the action of the police. It is the intention of the Board when suitable weather arrives to have the outside of the prison building further repaired.