§ Mr. DUFFYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, on the 1st May last, a police patrol reported that they were attacked by a number of men on a grazing farm at Castletown, near Gort, county Galway, whom they alleged were driving cattle off the farm, shots being exchanged on both sides; whether a rumour prevails in the locality that this outrage is a bogus one, and that no shots were fired on the occasion but by the patrol themselves; whether the police authorities ascertained from the herd of the grazing farm that the cattle were not disturbed on that night; and, in view of all the circumstances connected therewith, will the Government hold a sworn inquiry into this alleged outrage?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am informed by the Constabulary Authorities that on the night of the 24th April last a police patrol saw a number of men beginning to drive the cattle off the farm in question. The men ran on being challenged, and, on being pursued, fired on the police, who returned the fire. The herd refused to give any information to the police, but the owner found that the cattle had been disturbed. I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of the police report, and I see no ground for any inquiry.