34. Mr. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has any official information showing that three principal teachers of the Christian Brothers' Schools at Charleville were arrested while teaching their classes and marched handcuffed through the streets to an unknown destination; and, if so; whether, seeing that the small group of local Irish Volunteers have no firearms and that the town and district have been entirely free from any insurrectionary disturbance and have contributed an exceptionally large number of recruits to the Army, orders will be given to discontinue proceedings of this kind?
§ Mr. TENNANTNo official information has been received of the incident described. Inquiry is being made.
35. Mr. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland on what charge Mr. Louis D'Alton, of Tipperary, has been arrested; if he has been deported to England; will he be returned to his own country for trial if he is to be tried; and whether he is aware that no insurrectionary disturbance of any kind has taken place in Tipperary?
§ Mr. TENNANTMr. D'Alton was arrested under the Defence of the Realm Act. It is expected that a statement will he made at an early date as to the steps which the Government will take to deal with this and other similar cases.
36. Mr. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that four sons of Widow Boylan, of Dunboyne, county Meath, seventy-five years of age, were arrested by the military on 3rd May, and have not since been heard of by their mother, whose only support they were; whether none of these men took any part in the insurrection, and two of them were not even members of the Irish Volunteers; and whether, for the sake of humanity, the old woman will be apprised of the fate of her sons and permitted to communicate with them?
§ Mr. TENNANTI learn that all four sons have been sent to England. Inquiry is being made into their cases.
§ Mr. TENNANTThat is a question of policy which, I think, should be addressed to the Prime Minister.
§ 82. Mr. BYRNEasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Alderman James J. Kelly, J.P., ex-high sheriff of Dublin, was arrested on 26th April by the military authorities and deported to England and detained fifteen days without trial; if he can state what charge, if any, was made against Alderman Kelly; and if he will be compensated for the loss sustained by the action of the military authorities?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe facts as stated are correct. Mr. Kelly was arrested on suspicion, but, on investigation of the facts, it was determined that no charge should be preferred, and he has been released. The Government cannot recognise any claim to compensation.