To ask the Minister for Defence whether Ald. Thomas O'Reilly, an official of the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union, was arrested in Dublin on January 27th, and is still in custody; whether the Ministry of Defence has informed the above Union that Ald. O'Reilly "was previously in custody and was released only after signing the usual Form of Undertaking," and that "he was rearrested, as some of his recent actions were inconsistent with this declaration"; what were the "recent actions" referred to, and whether it is proposed to bring him to trial on a definite charge.
[ WRITTEN ANSWERS. ] - ALDERMAN'S ARREST.
Alderman Thomas O'Reilly was taken prisoner at the general surrender at the Four Courts on the 30th June last. He was released on the 17th August on his signing an undertaking to the effect that he would not use arms against the Parliament elected by the Irish people or the Government for the time being responsible to that Parliament, and that he would not support in any way such action, nor would he interfere unlawfully with the property or the persons of others.
In view of his having taken part with the Irregulars in the fighting at the Four Courts, his action on the 22nd January, when at the Dublin Corporation he proposed the adoption of a report recommending the payment of half pay in the case of untried employés in jail, had implications that similar action by one unconnected with the Irregulars might not have and it was clearly contrary to his undertaking not to support in any way Irregular activity and, in the opinion of the Army Authorities, warranted his re-arrest and his internment.