HC Deb 11 February 1902 vol 102 cc996-7
MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, whether, pending a discussion in this House of the action of the Executive in regard to the recent prosecutions at Gurteen and Ballinlough, the Irish Executive will suspend the enforcement of the sentences of imprisonment against certain Members of this House and other citizens.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. WYNDHAM,) Dover

No, Sir; as I stated in reply to the hon. Member's Question of Tuesday last, the Executive has no authority to arrest further legal proceedings consequent on the decision of the King's Bench Division in the case mentioned. The action of the Executive which the hon. Member wishes to impugn, was taken in December and was criticised on the Amendment to the Address moved by the hon. Member for Waterford. I shall be prepared to defend it again on any appropriate occasion.

MR. DILLON

Can the right hon. Gentleman state for the convenience of the hon. Members concerned how soon the orders for their imprisonment will be ready, and when they will be required to surrender to their bail.

MR. WYNDHAM

I have been at some pains to find out, but I am afraid I cannot now give a definite reply. I will, however, give the hon. Members due notice.

MR. DILLON

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, whether, in view of the judgment delivered last week by the Lord Chief Baron in Dublin, he can now state when he will afford an opportunity of discussing the action of the Executive in Ireland in connection with the recent prosecutions of Members of this House and other citizens before specially constituted Courts at Gurteen and Ballinlough.

THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.

The revised form of the judgment of the Court has not yet, I believe, been placed in the hands of my right hon. friend. It can not, therefore, be laid on the Table. I have endeavoured to make myself generally acquainted with the contents, but I can not say that it has any bearing upon the action of the Irish Executive. That action, which is as old as December last, came under review of the House during the discussion on the King's Speech. Therefore I do not think that any exceptional opportunity for discussion is necessary.