THE MARQUESS OF CLANRICARDEasked, What Bills for the Improvement of the Administration of Justice in Ireland the Government intend to propose to Parliament this Session, especially in regard to the Common Law, Bankruptcy, Matrimonial Causes, and County Courts? Reforms in this direction were urgently 1603 required, and would encounter little or no opposition—particularly the extension of the Bankruptcy Law to non-traders, and the extension of the jurisdiction of County Courts.
LORD DUFFERIN, in reply, said, that the legislation intended to be proposed by the Government relating to Ireland would exceed, he believed, even the expectations of his noble Friend. Her Majesty's Government would be prepared in the course of the present Session to introduce five Bills relating to Ireland on the following subjects:—a Bill for the abolition of Imprisonment for Debt, one for the amendment of the Law of Bankruptcy, a Bill to amend the law relating to Matrimonial Causes, one to amend the law respecting the execution of decrees in the County Courts, and, lastly, a Bill having reference to the law respecting Juries. It was impossible for him at present to give his noble Friend more information than the mere titles of the Bills, for as a layman he was unable to judge more than the general scope of them by their names.