§ Mr. BOLANDasked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to the sworn evidence of two constables, Blake and M'Lean, given at Cahirciveen Petty Sessions on 22nd December, 1911, on the prosecution of a publican named John Riordan for alleged offences against the licensing laws, that on Sunday, 3rd 920W December, 1911, the two constables in question unlocked the doors of the butter market house at Cahirciveen by means of false keys and concealed themselves therein for eleven consecutive hours, from 6.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., for the purpose of watching certain publicans and detecting offences against the licensing laws; whether he is aware that the market house at Cahirciveen is rented from Trinity College by a publican named Daniel Golden, and is used as a butter, egg, and flour store; and, if so, by what authority did Constables Blake and M'Lean enter this store by means of false keys and remain therein for eleven hours; whether the Crown Solicitor for Kerry was ordered by the Attorney-General to prosecute in those cases in order to cloak the procedure of the Cahirciveen R.I.C.; and whether, in view of the fact that the cases were dismissed on their merits, he will state what action he proposes to take in the matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe police authorities inform me that, owing to the difficulty in obtaining convictions for breaches of the Licensing Acts in Cahirciveen the two constables named concealed themselves in the disused portion of the building referred to, which is rented from Trinity College by Daniel Golden, and portion of which is used on market days as the public butter market. The charges against John Riordan were dismissed by a majority of the bench, the resident magistrate dissenting. Another publican, Bridget Daly, was fined £1, and in the case of Daniel Golden the magistrates were satisfied that the persons seen entering his premises were invited guests, and the case was dismissed. The Crown Solicitor, by direction of the Attorney-General, as is usual in such cases, conducted the prosecutions. The constables had no authority to enter the building, but, in the circumstances, I see nothing calling for any action on my part.