§ Captain SHEEHANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the hay barn erected at considerable expense by Timothy Murphy, evicted tenant, on his holding on the Thompson-Orpen estate, at Coolikerane, Millstreet, County Cork, was recently removed; by whose authority was this done and what has become of the corrugated sheet iron and poles of the barn, both of which are now exceedingly scarce and dear; whether the policemen engaged in protecting the caretaker were daily at work cutting turf on the evicted farm for their hire, and will he cause an official inquiry of the strictest kind to be held into their conduct; whether the sergeant of police and a constable from Millstreet Station were also engaged cutting turf on the farm, and for whom and what purpose were they doing so; whether the galvanised iron was also removed from two outhouses in the yard, and was it stolen or how was it otherwise disposed of; whether there is any tillage on the farm this year; and what action it is proposed to take in reference to this defiance of Government Regulations?
§ Mr. DUKEThe hay barn at the Coolikerane Farm was removed by the secretary of the Cork Defence Union in September, 1916. It had been partly blown down and was considered dangerous. The corrugated iron roofing and the poles are stored on the farm. Neither the police on protection duty nor the sergeant and a constable from Millstreet have been cutting turf, but the police at Millstreet have employed men to cut turf for their use. The galvanised iron was blown off two small outhouses in a yard and was used for fencing purposes. I am informed that the evicted farm was offered for tillage, but no one would take it.