HC Deb 17 May 1905 vol 146 cc627-8
MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland at what hour the police have entered the houses of the people in the neighbourhood of Athenry; whether they entered houses without the consent of the proprietors; and, if so, by what authority this was done; what was the object of the police in making these domiciliary visits.

MR. WALTER LONG

I am informed that police have entered houses in the neighbourhood of Athenry in the day time and at night no later than 10 p.m., in two or three cases up to 10.30 p.m., when inmates were not in bed, and with their consent. The object of the police in entering such houses was to make general police inquiry with a view to the prevention and detection of crime.

MR. DILLON

I beg to ask by what right the police enter the houses in the country, and is it lawful for the police to lay down a rule that the occupants shall not go to bed before 10 p.m.

MR. WALTER LONG

The Answer to the last Question is in the negative. I have already told the hon. Member that the police entered these houses with the consent of the inhabitants.

MR. DILLON

Has the right hon. Gentleman not stated already on the authority of the police that they never entered houses at an hour when the people ought to be in bed. We are informed that they entered between 10 and 10.30.

MR. WALTER LONG

said that he had already given two or three Answers on this subject. The information he had received was that the police did not enter the houses at a time when the people were expected to be in bed, and further information showed that they entered with the consent of the occupiers. In no case did the police force their entrance into the houses. They had a right to obtain any information they could, provided that they entered without the use of forcible means.

CAPTAIN DONELAN

Have the people a right to prevent the police from entering the houses?

MR. WALTER LONG

I am not called upon to explain the general law of the land. As far as I know no force was used by the police in entering the houses.

MR. DILLON

How much force would be required to enter a cottage in an Irish country district?

MR. WALTER LONG

By using the word force I did not intend to suggest that it was necessary violently to attack the people, but I meant to convey the fact that the entry of the police was made with the consent of the people occupying the houses.

MR. BLAKE (Longford, S.)

asked whether the consent of the occupants was asked before the police entered, or whether, when they found a door which was not barred, it was opened by the police without any intimation to the occupant or a request made for consent.

MR. WALTER LONG

That is a legal question.

MR. BLAKE

No, it is a question of fact.

MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER

The hon. Member ought to give notice of that Question.

MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)

asked whether if a meeting is called at Athenry for the purpose of explaining to the people their legal right to resist the forcible entry of their homes at any hour of the day or night by police without legal warrant, he will undertake that such meeting will not be suppressed by force?

[No Answer was returned.]