§ Sir J. AGG-GARDNERasked the Chief Secretary if facilities may be afforded to enable the honorary secretary of the Howard League for Penal Reform to visit detention barracks, internment camps, and prisons in Ireland, with the especial object of inquiring into the condition of women prisoners?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI have been in communication with the honorary secretary in this matter, but I regret that in the present disturbed condition in Ireland I do not see my way to comply with this request. I may add that there are no women in internment camps in Ireland. No woman is confined in any place of detention other than a prison except occasionally for a few days pending the arrangement of an escort to the nearest prison. All prisons in Ireland, as in England, are periodically visited by the Visiting Commissioners provided by Statute, and every complaint, which are few in number, is at once investigated. The total number of women prisoners charged with or convicted of ordinary offences amounts to 152, of which 137 are convicted prisoners and 15 are awaiting trial. In addition there are 14 women prisoners arrested in connection with offences arising out of the disturbed state of the country. Of these 8 are convicted prisoners and 6 are at present in prison untried. The majority of the 137 convicted prisoners are prostitutes from Belfast or Dublin undergoing sentences for breaches of the Curfew Order.