HC Deb 28 December 1893 vol 20 cc334-5
MR. W. O'BRIEN (Cork)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland is it a fact that the reporter of The Cork Examiner has been refused admission to an important police inquiry now going on at Union Quay Barracks, Cork, because he would not pledge himself not to publish the evidence until the decision is announced; is ho aware that the inquiry is one touching the responsibility for the death in prison of a man named Jeremiah M'Carthy; and having regard to the important public questions involved, will he instruct the Constabulary Authorities not to have the proceedings conducted in secret?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. MORLEY,) Newcastle-upon-Tyne

The inquiry in question has reference to the conduct of the police when in charge of a man named M'Carthy, who was conveyed from Bantry to Cork Prison. The charges preferred against the police are disciplinary ones, and the Rule of the Service precludes the reporting of the proceedings unless a guarantee be given not to publish the report in any newspaper until after the Inspector General's decision shall have been promulgated. The enforcement of this Rule is regarded as necessary for the purposes of discipline. It is possible the proceedings of the Court may terminate to-day.

MR. W. O'BRIEN

Is it not the fact that Military Courts Martial are entirely open to the Press, and is there any reason why there should be a different Rule in these inquiries?

MR. J. MORLEY

Certainly there does not seem to be any reason why there should be a different Rule for these inquiries to those in the Army, but I am not sure how that is. The inquiry referred to in the question was conducted according to the Ride of the Constabulary Code.

MR. W. O'BRIEN

Does not considerable discontent exist among the police on this subject? Will the right hon. Gentleman consider whether the Rule cannot be made the same in both cases?

MR. J. MORLEY

I cannot give any answer off-hand. There are cases in which it would not be expedient to admit reporters with power to report in full before a decision has been arrived at. Whether this was one of those eases I cannot say.