§ Mr FLYNNasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been directed to the recent proceedings at the Kanturk Quarter Sessions in the case of a criminal injury application of a farmer named Eugene Daly, of Rowls; is he aware that the Recorder of Cork commented upon the fact that there was evidence that the people in no way sympathised or approved of the malicious burning in question, and yet a heavy fine by way of compensation was levied upon these ratepayers; and whether the Irish Government will consider the propriety of introducing such legislation as will provide that the guilty parties and not the ratepayers shall be punished?
§ Mr. BIRRELLMy attention has been called to the proceedings in question. According to the newspaper report which I have seen, the Recorder emphasised the fact that such crimes are really against the innocent ratepayer, and should be put down. The guilty parties are also liable under the existing law both to criminal and civil proceedings, if they can be discovered.
§ Mr. FLYNNIf the Irish Government will not introduce legislation to redress this wrong, will it insist on the statutory authorities taking all possible precautions to punish the real offenders and not inoffensive ratepayers?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo One wants innocent ratepayers punished, and I am quite sure 584 the police are taking every possible step they can to bring to justice the criminals who are guilty of the acts.
§ Mr. FLYNNHas the right hon. Gentleman been furnished with a copy of the Recorder's comments, and did he observe in the report of the proceedings that previous cases had occurred in connection with these holdings, and that the police have a very strong idea who were the guilty parties, and no one is brought to justice?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe police share my own anxiety to bring everyone in Ireland to justice who is acting against the law.
§ Mr. CAMPBELLIs not the real difficulty in this case the reluctance of the people in the neighbourhood to give evidence to assist the police?
§ Mr. FLYNNDoes not the right hon. Gentleman's reading of the Recorder's comments show exactly the reverse of what the right hon. Gentleman alleges?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI read the Recorder's speech without gathering exactly what his frame of mind was, except that he shared my opinion that; it is very hard lines on the neighbourhood, which shows no sympathy with the crimes, that it should have to bear the punishment, but that is the proceeding of the Act of Parliament, which throws the obligation on the neighbourhood for crimes of this kind.
§ Mr. JOHN O'CONNORDoes the right hon. Gentleman not see in the facts of this case good reason for introducing legislation to assimilate the law of Ireland to that of Great Britain in respect of compensation for malicious injuries?
§ Mr. H. BELLOCAnd the rest of the civilised world?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI do not agree with that view. It is true that since Anglo-Saxon times it has not been the law of this country, but I am not prepared to hold up the law of England as an example to all nations.
§ Mr. JOHN O'CONNORWas not the law of England as it at present stands the law of Ireland when Ireland had a Parliament of her own?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo, I think that is not so; but I cannot discuss history with the hon. Member.