§ 3. Mr. BYRNEasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction that is being caused in all parts of Ireland owing to the whole-sale arrests of those of the labour and Gaelic movement; and what steps, if any, are being taken to limit the arrests of innocent persons?
§ Mr. TENNANTEvery care is being taken to limit the arrests of innocent persons. The idea that there is any discrimination against persons connected with the labour movement is without foundation.
§ Mr. LYNCHWhat are the grounds for any movement whatever against men simply because they are connected with labour movements or the Gaelic League; what authority is there to hold such men suspect, and in times of excitement shoot them out of hand?
§ Mr. TENNANTI think it is a mistake to suppose that there is any discrimination against persons connected either with the Gaelic movement or the labour movement. Persons under suspicion would be arrested, no matter what movement they happened to be connected with.
§ 15. Mr. GINNELLasked whether Miss Mulhall is still in prison for having waved her hand to the Countess Markiewics passing in custody; and, seeing that this lady had neither knowledge of nor connecton with the insurrection, when will she be released and what amends will be made to her for imprisonment?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe hon. Gentleman's information is very much out of date. Miss Mulhall was released on the 8th May.
§ 22. Mr. BYRNEasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a large number of the members of the Dublin Trades Council have been arrested and are being detained for the past fifteen days; if there is any charge against them besides being advocates of the working classes; and if he will order their immediate release or trial so as to enable them to carry on their labour duties?
§ Mr. TENNANTThese cases are being investigated with the utmost rapidity.
§ 31. Mr. FLAVINasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that James Sugrue, Cornelius Jones, and Patrick Landers were arrested at Listowel on Tuesday night, the 16th instant; will he state on what grounds were they arrested, and what charge, if any, has been preferred against them?
§ Mr. TENNANTThese three men have been discharged.
§ 32. Mr. FLAVINasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Joseph O'Leary, of 11, Tremadoc Road, Clapham, London, who is 1957 spending his holidays in Ireland, was arrested on Tuesday, 16th May, in Dublin, and detained since in the Bridewell; whether he will say why Joseph O'Leary was arrested and detained; what charge, if any, has been made against him; and whether his release will be ordered immediately?
§ Mr. TENNANTThis case is receiving immediate attention.
§ Mr. FLAVINIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that this man attested under the Derby scheme and was rejected as being unfit for service?
§ 33. Mr. FLAVINasked on what grounds James M'Elligott, clerk in the Local Government Board, Dublin, has been arrested and deported to England; whether he is aware that this young man has an unimpeachable character; whether he is aware that James M'Elligott's mother's health is in a precarious condition as a result of her son's arrest and deportation, and that she cannot get any information about her son; and whether his release will be ordered at once?
§ Mr. TENNANTI cannot at present add to what I said yesterday.
§ Mr. FLAVINCan the right hon. Gentleman say why this man was refused permission to see his brother on Friday last at Stafford Gaol?
§ Mr. TENNANTIf the hon. Member will give me the name and address I will see that he has access to his brother.
§ Mr. FLAVINCan the right hon. Gentleman say when I can get any information with reference to this man, who had no connection whatever with the Sinn Fein movement? He has now been under arrest for three weeks, and surely during that time the Government authorities ought to have got sufficient knowledge of his movements?
§ Mr. TENNANTI am endeavouring to get information, and I cannot reply until I have got the actual answer.
The following question stood on the Notice Paper in the name of Mr. T. M. HEALY: 34. To ask the Under-Secretary of State for War if, out of thirty-five young men arrested in Mitchelstown by the military on 8th May, five are detained, namely, W. Casey, J. Hannigan, D. Roche, and the brothers O'Sullivan; have these men been removed to Cork and then to Dublin in 1958 custody, although all arms were surrendered and no incriminating documents or matter were found upon them; are their relatives left without any knowledge of their whereabouts and denied the opportunity of procuring their defence; have any of them been deported to England; if not, are they to be tried, on what charge, and where; and is any opportunity to be afforded them of consulting a solicitor or making a defence?
Mr. HEALYI have been asked to postpone this question again. It has been on the Paper for more than a week, and the right hon. Gentleman has not answered it. Why keep these men in prison? How would you like to be kept in prison yourself?
§ Mr. TENNANTI have already made representations that I may be supplied with the earliest possible information, and I cannot do more.
§ 58. Mr. DORISasked the Prime Minister whether, having regard to the fact that the people of Mayo County took no part in the recent insurrection and have shown their strong disapproval of it, he will have the cases of young men arrested in Westport district, most of whom are now imprisoned in Wandsworth Military Detention Barracks, investigated forthwith. with a view to their immediate release when it is found that no criminal charge can be substantiated or even laid against them?
§ The PRIME MINISTER (Mr. Asquith)These cases are being investigated with the utmost rapidity.
59. Mr. HEALYasked the Prime Minister if the Lord Lieutenant will authorize the exhumation of the bodies of the citizens of Dublin shot without trial, so that an inquest may be held and indictments presented against the guilty parties; and will the military furnish the relatives with the place of burial in each case?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am not aware upon what evidence my hon. Friend bases his question, or the charges which it suggests. If he will furnish me with such evidence I will see that it receives the most careful examination.
Mr. HEALYMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman upon what ground Mr. McIntyre was shot, upon what ground Mr. Dixon was shot, and upon what ground Mr. Sheehy Skeffington was shot? 1959 I understood the right hon. Gentleman to say that a public investigation was to be held. Perhaps I may be allowed, as a matter of personal explanation, to say that a remark of mine yesterday would appear to throw a slur upon the practice generally of courts-martial, I desired to throw no such slur. I desired simply to make the objection I did make to investigatng these cases by the method of court-martial.
§ The PRIME MINISTERMy hon. and learned Friend was, I thought, aware that the three cases to which he has referred are now the subject of public inquiry by court-martial.
Mr. HEALYOnly last night I received from Mrs. Skeffington's solicitors a statement that they could get no information whatever from the military authorities on the subject of the alleged inquiry?
§ The PRIME MINISTERWill my hon. and learned Friend send me the letter?