§ Mr. FETHERSTONHAUGHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland when was Mr. John Sweeney, J.P., Burtonport, county Donegal, appointed to the Commission of 836W the Peace; was the Lord Chancellor aware that this Justice of the Peace had and still has four public-houses in the petty sessions districts where he acts as justice—namely, at Burtonport, Dungloe, Maghery, and Mullaghdoo; is the Irish Government aware that this justice, after repeated convictions for breaches of the licensing laws and for assault before he became a Justice of the Peace, has more recently added to his record convictions for selling drink on unlicensed premises and for selling adultered rum, and that he sits on the bench to hear cases of drunkenness arising in his own public-houses; and will the Lord Chancellor consider the advisability of superseding Mr. Sweney, who has also been appointed a commissioner for affidavits?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAs I have stated in reply to previous questions, Mr. Sweeney was appointed to the Commission of the Peace on the recommendation of the Lieutenant of the county by the late Lord Chancellor, who was not aware at the time that he had a public-house. Mr. Sweeney was not convicted of assault, but he has been fined 5s. for an offence in connection with the sale of rum committed on his licensed premises. He was also convicted for a breach of the licensing laws in February, 1911. The late Lord Chancellor, who inquired carefully into the case, did not consider that it called for any action on his part, and, having regard to this decision, the present Lord Chancellor does not think it necessary to do anything further.