§ MR. J. P. FARRELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in view of the fact that fourteen persons have been disqualified from sitting or acting as county and district councillors in Ireland by reason of sentences imposed on them under the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act, the Government will propose legislation to remove this disqualification, or give facilities to enable private Members to pass such a Bill.
§ MR. WYNDHAMNo, Sir; I do not contemplate introducing any such legislation.
§ MR. J. P. FARRELLAs several Members of Parliament are among those thus disqualified, are the Govern- 691 ment prepared to give us a day to discuss the policy which brought about the disqualification?
§ MR. WYNDHAMThat Question should be addressed to the Leader of the House. The disqualification depends on a statutory enactment.
§ MR. CULLINAN (Tipperary, S.)was understood to ask if the right hon. Gentleman had not embodied in his Land Bill the very principles for advocating which these men were sent to gaol.
§ MR. WYNDHAMreplied that he had made his position on that point perfectly clear in his speech. He had no power to go behind the law.
§ MR. CULLINANBut if you have power to send men to gaol you can also remove this disqualification.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe power of dispensing the prerogative of mercy is a very different thing to that of instituting proceedings when we believe the law is being broken.
§ MR. J. P. FARRELLWill you give a Return of the number of persons disqualified, and the reasons for disqualification?
§ No answer was returned.