§ CAPTAIN DONELANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that on 10th October last a farmer named James Gleeson, residing at Lisquinlan, County Cork, was summoned by the police and fined by the Magistrates at Castlemartyr Petty Sessions, for having his name and address painted in Irish upon his cart; and whether it is a penal offence to use the Irish language for this purpose in Ireland; and, if not, whether steps will be taken to prevent a recurrence of similar prosecutions?
THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. J.MORLEY,) Newcastle-upon-TyneIt is a fact that the farmer named in the question was proceeded against as stated. The Magistrates held that the painting of the name and address in Irish characters alone was not a compliance with the Act of Parliament, and disposed of the case by inflicting a merely nominal penalty of 6d.
§ CAPTAIN DONELANMay I remind the right hon. Gentleman that ho has not answered the last part of my question, as to future prosecutions?