§ 1. Mr. GINNELLasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will request the American Ambassador and the representatives here of other neutral countries to arrange for the attendance of a special representative of each of their respective countries at the full and searching inquiry promised into the recent incidents in Dublin?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir E. Grey)The answer is in the negative.
§ 52. Mr. DILLONasked the Prime Minister whether he has any information as to the shooting of untried prisoners in Portobello Barracks; and whether, in view of the fact that the officer responsible for the shooting of Skeffington, Dickson, and M'Intyre remained in authority in Portobello Barracks up to 6th May, and that the military authorities in Dublin were not aware of the conduct of this officer for nine days after the shooting of these untried prisoners, he will order an impartial public inquiry into all that took place in the Portobello Barracks during the period following the deaths of Skeffington and his companions while the officer responsible was retained in a position of authority?
§ 55. Mr. DEVLINasked what will be the constitution of the tribunal which will conduct the public inquiry into the circumstances of the deaths of Messrs. Sheehy-Skeffington, Dickson, and M'Intyre, and what will be the method of procedure?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAs far as I am aware, the three persons named were the only prisoners shot in Portobello Barracks. The officer who is alleged to be responsible is about to be tried by court-martial, and the proceedings will be public. The matter is therefore sub judice, and until the trial is over I cannot determine the precise scope or method of the inquiry which I promised.
§ 53. Mr. DEVLINasked the Prime Minister if the Government will consider the question of ordering a full public inquiry into the circumstances under which fourteen men who did not take any part in the recent revolt in Dublin were shot during the occupation by the military of houses in North King Street; and, if so, whether the relatives of such deceased persons will be entitled to be professionally represented?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe Government have just received the report of the Court of Inquiry which has been held into what took place in North King Street, and a dispatch from Sir John Maxwell dealing with this and other incidents of the rising. Until we have had an opportunity of considering these documents it is impossible to say whether any further inquiry is needed.
§ Mr. DILLONWill these documents be made public?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI hope so.