§ MR. THOMAS O'DONNELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can explain under what authority Mr. Thomas McDonogh Mahony, Cahirciveen, county Kerry, has been ordered by the Lord Chancellor not to act as magistrate because he has signed warrants in Irish.
§ MR. ATKINSONAt my right hon. friend's request I will reply to this Question. The Lord Chancellor ordered Mr. Thomas McDonogh not to act as a justice because he, in violation of the express provisions of a statute to which his attention had been called, persisted in signing warrants in Irish characters, and refused to give any undertaking to desist from the practice, if permitted to continue to act as a magistrate.
§ MR. BOLANDWhat is the particular provision?
§ MR. ATKINSONIt is in Act 22, Geo. 2, Chap. 6, and it provides that all the business of the Courts in Ireland must be conducted in the English language.
§ MR. BOLANDWill the right hon. Gentleman bring in a Bill to repeal that Act, or favourably consider one if brought in from these Benches?
No answer was audible.