HC Deb 05 May 1893 vol 12 cc194-5
MR:. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that on 15th April a gang of moonlighters entered the house of a farmer named Quirke, near Barnagh, County Limerick, and beat him severely, and that they then went to the house of his son and shot him and his brother in the legs: that on Sunday the 16th a gang of moonlighters fired into the house of Mrs. O'Brien, of Templeglantine, in the same county, the fire being returned by the inmates; and that on Wednesday the 19th a gang of moonlighters visited the house of Dame Brenahan, at Knocktoosh, Drumcolloghcr, in the same county, fired into it, and then broke in, injuring Brenahan severely; whether anyone has been made amenable for these offences; and if he can state how many cases of moonlighting, agrarian and non-agrarian, have taken place in County Limerick from 22nd August 1892 to 30th April 1893, and how many took place in the corresponding period from 22nd August 1891 to 30th" April 1892?

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

The statements in the first paragraph of the question are, in the main, correct. The case of firing into the dwelling of Mrs. Breen not O'Brien, occurred on April 10th. No person has been made amenable up to the present for these outrages; and though it is strongly suspected that some of the injured persons are in a position to identify their assailants, yet they refuse to give the police any assistance. The number of moonlighting outrages committed in Limerick between August 22, 1892, and April 30 is 17, of which nine were agrarian and eight non-agrarian. In the corresponding months of 1891–2 there was one case of moonlighting in the county. It was recorded agrarian. During the period August 22, 1890, to April 30, 1891, the number of such outrages was six, all non-agrarian.

*MR. T. W. RUSSELL

Is it not a fact there have been 15 cases of outrage in the neighbourhood of Newcastle West during the last few months?

MR. J. MORLEY

There have been a number of cases.

*MR. T. W. RUSSELL

In view of the recrudesence of outrage in the district, may I ask if the Government are taking adequate steps to cope with disorder and lawlessness?

MR. J. MORLEY

Yes; every step that can be taken is being taken to suppress disorder.