MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether any change was made in the work allotted to John Daly, at present confined in Portland Prison, at the time immediately following his election as Member of Parliament for Limerick; and, whether during this week he was and subsequently has been employed in the class of menial work, on which only the lowest class of criminals are usually employed?
§ *SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYNo, Sir, no change whatever has been made in the work assigned to John Daly since his election. He is required to take his turn with the other prisoners in his workshop in the performance of the duties to which the hon. Member alludes; but the practice is not a new one, and Daly has taken part in the work for years without any complaint. It is entirely a mistake to suppose that the work is usually given to any particular class of prisoners.
MR. PATRICK O'BRIENasked whether Jabez Balfour and his companions were required to perform the menial work which Daly had been made to do?
§ [No answer was given.]