§ MR. D. MACALEESE (Monaghan, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether the cost of prosecuting defaulting road contractors in Ireland is made a charge upon the county cess, or upon the defaulting contractor; (2) in the case of failure to convict, by whom is the cost borne; and (3) can a statement be made of the approximate average cost of each case instituted?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURCivil proceedings in these cases are instituted by Grand Juries with the approval of the Attorney General, but there is no official information available that would enable me to reply to the last paragraph of the Question. Where the suit is successful the costs are borne by the defendant, where unsuccessful by the Grand Jury.