§ Mr. MAURICE HEALYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether two prisoners in Cork Gaol, Culligan, North Tipperary, and Kelleher, Millstreet, con- 107W victed by court-martial of having arms and ammunition, and who up to the date of conviction and for some days afterwards were treated as political prisoners, have since been treated as ordinary prisoners; whether the practice hitherto has been to treat such prisoners as political prisoners; and on whose authority and for what reason this change has been made?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe Governor of the prison reported the circumstances to the Irish Government, and pending the Government's decision, these prisoners were granted ameliorations usually allowed to political prisoners. The circumstances of each case are separately considered. It was decided by the Irish Government that the prisoners could not be granted special privileges, having regard to the serious nature of the offences of which they were proved guilty.