§ MR. DUFFY (Galway, S.)To ask Mr. Attorney-General for Ireland whether he is aware that three respectable young men from Kilcoonan parish, Claren-bridge, county Galway, were arrested on February 19th, on the charge of having fired into the house of a Mr. Kearney; and whether, seeing that the police have failed to produce any evidence connecting them with the crime, and in view of the length of time they are now under remand, he will direct that the prisoners be released from prison.
(Answered by Mr. Cherry.) The three young men referred to were arrested on February 27th last, on the charge of having, on the night of February 19th, fired into the dwelling-house of Patrick Kearney, and also of having 871 attacked and broken windows in the dwelling-house of Honoria Fitzgerald at Ballindereen. They were brought up at petty sessions on March 6th and remanded until the 13th inst. The remand was usual in such cases and necessary for the proper preparation of the case against the accused. There has been no unnecessary delay. It is not in my power to direct that prisoners under such circumstances should be released from prison. An application can be made on their behalf, either to the magistrates or to the King's Bench Division, that they be released on bail.