§ Mr. SWIFT MacNEILLasked on what ground, having regard to the fact that in the absence of the Sovereign from Great Britain Lords Justices for the government of the kingdom have not on any occasion 379 been appointed since 1821, owing to increased facilities of communication which enable the Sovereign to transact business without inconvenience to the conduct of government when absent, are Lords Justices for the government of Ireland appointed on such occasions of the absence of the Lord Lieutenant from Ireland, however short that absence may be; and whether, with a view to the saving of expense, the practice of appointing Lords Justices in the absence of the Lord Lieutenant from Ireland will be discontinued as in the case of the absence of the Sovereign from Great Britain?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAs I have already informed the hon. Member, if Lords Justices were not appointed during the absence of the Lord Lieutenant there would be no one in Ireland possessing the power to exercise the prerogative of mercy in criminal cases or to perform other important official acts which do not admit of delay. No expense to the public is caused by the appointment of Lords Justices.