§ MAJOR JAMESON (Clare, W.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland is he aware that 859 on Friday 20th May, at Kilrush, Head Constable Thompson, Sergeant Wall, and Constable M'Cullough, of the police force, Kilrush, without authority and without invitation intruded into a meeting of Nationalists at the Assembly Rooms, Kilrush, held for the purpose of forming a branch of the '98 Club to celebrate the centenary of 1798, and only after considerable remonstrance these constables were induced to withdraw; and will he forbid police constables to intrude at meetings in Ireland called for constitutional and legitimate purposes?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. ATKINSON,) Londonderry, N.In the absence of my right honourable Friend I will reply to this Question. The meeting referred to was convened by printed placards which stated it was open to the public, and, as members of the public, the head constable accompanied by a sergeant and constable attended the meeting. They were even invited by several persons present to enter the place of meeting, and told they would be welcome. The chairman having asked the head constable whether he had instructions to attend and watch the proceedings, the latter replied that he had not, and that the police were there simply as members of the general public and would withdraw if requested to do so. The chairman made no objection, but the coroner and one or two others objected to the presence of the police, who there upon withdrew. No orders such as suggested in the second paragraph are called for.