HC Deb 02 March 1900 vol 79 cc1534-5
MR. JAMES O'CONNOR () Wicklow, W.

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Ellen Ryan, of Clare-Street, Limerick, has been detained in prison for contempt of court for 743 days; and is she still in prison; and, if not, when was she released, and how many days altogether has she been in custody.

MR. ATKINSON

I am informed that this woman was committed to prison on the 2nd February, 1898, on a writ of attachment issued by the Master of the Rolls. She is still detained in prison and has been in custody 759 days. Her contempt consists in neglecting to pay into court money for which she was found to be accountable. She has not made any application to the Master of the Rolls to be released, but apparently desires to be discharged from prison without paying the money.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN () Kilkenny

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, bearing in mind that only a few days ago he admitted that a man named Kavanagh was driven mad in prison and is now in a lunatic asylum—

* MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! That does not arise out of the question.

CAPTAIN DONELAN

Will the right hon. Gentleman bring the case of this woman under the notice of the Master of the Rolls?

MR. ATKINSON

She must apply to the Master of the Rolls to purge her contempt. It is not a matter in which the Executive can interfere.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN

Will you take care she is not driven mad?