§ 94. Mr. DILLONasked the Home Secretary what was the reference to the Commissioners who were sent to Dublin to deal with the cases of Civil servants suspected of complicity with the recent insurrection; what was their method of procedure; on what principle they acted in recommending that certain officials should be dismissed; whether any record of their proceedings has been kept; and whether that record will be published?
Mr. SAMUELThe reference was "to consider the cases of the Irish Civil servants who have been suspended from their duties owing to their suspected complicity with the recent rebellion, and to advise how they should be dealt with." As regards procedure, the Commissioners say:
Everyone was informed of the terms of reference and was told that he was at perfect liberty to decline to answer any of the questions put to him. Every Civil servant was made acquainted with the nature of the charge against, or suspicion held regarding, him, and he was encouraged to tender the fullest explanation he could in respect of either or both. "We afterwards compared his verbal statement to us with the departmental, military and police documentary evidence placed at our disposal, and, when it seemed necessary or advisable to do so, we called for further information from or confirmation by the authorities cited.No formal record of the proceedings has been kept, and it is not proposed to make any publication. The cases were dealt with in the same way and on the same principles as other cases of serious misconduct would be dealt with in the Civil Service generally.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYCan the right hon. Gentleman say on what evidence or statements some of these men were dismissed from the Post Office?