§ MR. MACALEESEI beg to ask Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, as representing the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether he is aware that much excitement has been caused in the parish of Errigal Truagh by the alleged renting by the Protestant rector of that parish, as a site for a national school, of a portion of an evicted farm; and whether application has been made to the Commissioners of National Education, or any of them, for the customary grant and sanction for the erection and maintenance of this proposed school, and are the Commissioners aware that the site chosen is on an evicted 1411 farm; and, if so, what reply have they given to the application.
§ MR. ATKINSONThe police report that Lord Rathdonnell has given to the Protestant rector of this parish a free site on an evicted farm for the erection of a Protestant national school. This has caused some irritation not amongst the Protestants, but apparently amongst those who have either entered into an illegal or possibly criminal conspiracy to boycott this evicted farm, or who approve of the action of such a conspiracy, and is, it would seem, due to the apprehension that the rector and Commissioners will act in such a way as to defeat to some extent the object of the conspiracy. The Commissioners report that the usual application has been made, but they have no information as to whether the farm is boycotted or not. They have not yet replied, but it is to be presumed that they will take such action as becomes public officials of the State in such circumstances.
§ CAPTAIN DONELANWhat steps has the right hon. Gentleman taken to satisfy himself that this is a criminal conspiracy?
§ MR. ATKINSONI take it from the police report that it is a conspiracy to prevent by intimidation the exercise of a legal right.