MR. FIELDI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of 566 Ireland whether any of the Magistrates or Clerks of Petty Sessions in the Provinces of Connaught and Munster, and in the Counties of Donegal, Derry, Tyrone, Armagh, and Cavan, speak Irish, and how many; whether a procedure is adopted to secure that persons charged with offences have those charges and the evidence explained to them; have any civil proceedings been taken against or by Irish-speaking persons in recent times at Petty Sessions; how many persons speaking Irish only have been confined in gaols, lunatic asylums, and unions: how many are now confined therein; and how many of these officials speak Irish?
MR. J. MORLEYThis question was only placed on the Paper on Saturday last, and it is quite impossible to reply to it at such short notice. To collect the information indicated in the question, it would be necessary to address inquiries to at least four Irish Departments—namely, the Local Government Board, the Prisons Board, Inspectors of Lunatics, and the Register of Petty Sessions Clerks, and, in all probability, the assistance of the Lord Chancellor and the Royal Irish Constabulary will have to be invoked. Besides, I would point out that the question does not define for what particular period the information is required. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will place himself in communication with me before repeating the question.
MR. FIELDUnder the circumstances, I should desire to give the right hon. Gentleman a few days' notice.