§ MR. D. MACALEESE (Monaghan, N.)I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland how long has Patrick M'Quaide, of Gola, county Monaghan, been confined in Dundalk Gaol for contempt of court by trespassing on his evicted farm; is he aware that the prisoner was committed to gaol for trespass without being heard, through having no means to pay his train fare from Monaghan to Dublin, and that he cannot make any application for his release, as he is entirely destitute of money to pay a solicitor; and will the Government convey him from Dundalk to Dublin to enable him to ask for his discharge; and, if not, will he state how this man can be released from custody?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. JOHN ATKINSON,) Londonderry, N.M'Quaide was committed to gaol on the 30th of January last. I am aware that he did not appear in obedience to the summons served upon him to answer for his contempt of court, but am not aware of his reasons for not appearing or whether he is destitute. His proper course would appear to me to be to forward a memorial, in which he should endeavour to purge his contempt, either to the Receiver, or Chief Receiver, or the Judge who committed him. Should M'Quaide's presence in Dublin then become necessary the Government will convey him there.
§ MR. T. J. CONDON (Tipperary, E.)May I ask whether under the present law a Judge of the High Court can keep a person in gaol for contempt of court for the term of his natural life?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELANDOrdinarily speaking, when a person is committed for contempt of court, he remains in gaol until he has purged his contempt.