§ The following question stood in the name of Mr. T. M. HEALY
§ 12. To ask the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether one of his inspectors has been arrested and interned; was the consent of his Department sought before the military acted; do his Department regard the inspector as guilty or innocent; is his position being kept open; and will his salary be paid?
Mr. HEALYI have received a letter from the Home Secretary, requesting me not to put this question because of the absence of the Irish Minister for Agriculture. Of course, if it is a matter of the personal convenience of the Minister for Agriculture, I gladly do so, but we cannot help noticing that both the members of the Irish Administration, the Attorney-General and the head of the Irish Agricultural Department, are not in attendance, and I should like to ask if it is by order of the Government that they are not allowed to attend the House?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Herbert Samuel)No, they are attending to the business of their Departments in Ireland. The Attorney-General will certainly be here next week and I am asking the Vice-President if he can come over to answer the hon. and learned Gentleman's question and two others.