§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland is he aware that on the occasion of the trial of Denis Keane at the Munster Assizes on Monday last 16 jurors were challenged by the Crown and ordered to stand by; and that as a result of the challenges an almost exclusively Protestant jury was sworn to try the case; and if the course adopted by the Crown Counsel was directed by the Attorney General for Ireland?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERMay I ask whether, at the same Assizes in the trial of a case of attempted murder, out of a panel of 74 jurors 41 supposed to be Roman Catholics were challenged, and whether that step was taken in the interests of justice?
§ MR. BRYCE (for Mr. J. MORLEY)I have no information as to the supplementary question. As to the question of the hon. Member for South Tyrone, the Irish Government are not aware whether 16 or any number of jurors were ordered to stand by, or of which creed the jurors empannelled to try the case were. No direction whatever was given by the Attorney General in the matter. The discretion exercised by the Crown Solicitor in directing jurors to stand aside is analogous to that exercised by solicitors to the accused in challenging jurors.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLIs that not the stereotyped answer given by the late Government when the Members of the present Government were denouncing jury packing?
§ MR. SEXTONWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether, as a matter of fact, the Crown Solicitor, in directing jurors to stand aside, acts upon information or has information before him as to the religion, or the supposed religion, of the jurors, and whether it is intended to continue this practice?
§ MR. BRYCEThat appears to be a general question, of which it is necessary to have notice. No such practice is known to me.
§ MR. SEXTONI will repeat the question on Monday.
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether he is not aware that the names of the chal- 1393 lenged jurors have all been set out in the Irish daily payers?
§ MR. T. W. RUSSELLWell, they have been.
§ MR. FISHER (Fulham)Will you make inquiries?
§ [No reply was given.]