HC Deb 20 April 1896 vol 39 c1265
MR. MACALEESE

I beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, (1) if he will consent to release on parole Patrick M'Quaide, a prisoner detained in Dun-dalk Gaol since the 30th of January last, that the. man may have the opportunity to get a memorial prepared to place before the Judge at whose instance he was arrested and imprisoned, seeing that M'Quaide's offence of trespass, out of which his arrest arose, was not a taking of forcible possession, as has been alleged, but the cutting of a small bundle of rushes to replenish the bed of one of his little children; and, (2) whether he is aware that there are precedents for such a course to be found in the administration of the late Chief Secretary Forster, who paroled suspect prisoners on several occasions without having any reason to regret the step?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. JOHN ATKINSON,) Londonderry, N.

I am informed that M'Quaide has forwarded to his solicitor a written statement to be laid before the Receiver Judge, containing an apology for the misconduct complained of, and a promise not to repeat it. I should assume that this letter will be favourably considered. There is no analogy between this case and those referred to in the last paragraph of the Question.