§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether Lord De Freyne or his Agent have applied for the forces of the Crown to carry out any further evictions on the De Freyne Estate, Roscommon; and, if so, what number of tenants are to be evicted, and when; and, will he inquire into the circumstances of the cases before giving the necessary force to evict them?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURSo far as I am aware, the Sheriff of the County Roscommon has applied for protection in the carrying out of one eviction on this estate on the 27th instant. On the general question of giving protection to the Sheriff, or his officers, in the execution of decrees of the judiciary, I conceive the hon. Gentleman is himself fully conversant with the law and the imperative duty of the Executive in the matter, and I need, perhaps, hardly remind him that my predecessor was called upon to give protection in the execution of decrees on this property a year or two ago.