§ 12. Mr. KINGasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he will give figures for the first six months of this year showing how many persons belonging to Sinn Fein, Cumann na m-Ban, and the Gaelic League, respectively, have been convicted for any act of sedition or breach of the peace?
§ Mr. SHORTTIt would not be possible, from existing police records, to classify among the societies mentioned in the question, all the persons convicted in the first six months of this year of any act of sedition or breach of the peace. The inquiries necessary to enable such a classification to be made would involve an unreasonable expenditure of time and work by the Department concerned.
§ Mr. KINGSurely there are not very many such persons? Can the right hon. Gentleman give any indication within round numbers of the number of such persons cumulatively disregarding the various Regulations?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe work involved is far greater than any useful service that would be served.