HC Deb 23 June 1902 vol 109 cc1388-9
MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state the circumstances under which Mr. Linnane, chairman of the Ennis District Council; Mr. F. Flanagan, chairman of the Corofin District Council; Mr. Griffy, chairman of the Corofin Guardians; and a number of other gentlemen were recently sent to prison with hard labour in Ennis for three months.

MR. WYNDHAM

In this case the defendants were prosecuted on the charge of taking part in a criminal conspiracy to compel certain persons not to occupy lands of which they were in legal occupation. The sentences imposed on Messrs. Linnane and Griffy are not accompanied by hard labour, and the latter was committed for two months. The sentences on all the defendants, with one exception, were confirmed on appeal at the recent (Quarter Sessions, at Ennis.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if it is not a fact that the county of Clare is in a very peaceful condition, and under these circumstances, is not the continued imprisonment of these gentlemen likely to produce a different state of affairs?

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! That does not arise out of the Question. The Question on the Paper is under what circumstances these men were sent to prison.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

Then I will ask a Question which does arise out of that on the Paper. It is whether these cases have not arisen out of a difficulty in connection with the taking of a farm in? County Clare, in a case which was recently before the High Court in Dublin, when Mr. Justice Gibson—

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! I do not see how that arises out of the Question.

MR. P. J. O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)

Is the gentleman who has been sentenced to hard labour a Justice of the Peace?

MR. SPEAKER

Order, order! If the hon. Gentleman wishes to attack the action of the Executive, he must do so in Committee of Supply. He cannot do it by means of Questions across the floor of the House.

MR. WILLIAM REDMOND

I will do it in Committee of Supply. I was only asking these Questions in order to save time.