asked the Minister for Defence whether he received two applications from Sarah MacDermott, now interned in Mountjoy, to appear before the Advisory Committee dealing with deportees from Britain; whether any communication was received from a solicitor, acting upon her behalf, with the same demand, and, if so, what reply was sent; also, whether he has received any complaint alleging an assault upon this prisoner on Thursday night, the 26th ultimo, by four women searchers; whether any complaint of this nature was made to the Governor of the prison, and, if so, whether he is prepared to make a statement on the matter.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. [ORAL ANSWERS.] - MOUNTJOY PRISONER'S COMPLAINT.
Two applications were received from Miss Sarah MacDermott to appear before the Advisory Committee dealing with deportees from Britain. The original of these applications, which was dated 12th March, and addressed to Mr. Bridgeman, appears to have miscarried. No communication was received from a solicitor acting on Miss MacDermott's behalf. It is understood that complaint has been made respecting an alleged assault on this prisoner on the night of Thursday, the 26th ult. On that night Miss MacDermott, with others, was being removed from Mountjoy Prison to the North Dublin Union. The prisoners were searched preparatory to their transfer. Miss MacDermott refused to be searched—said that she was going to kill whoever would lay hands on her; and when an attempt was made by one woman to search her, she caught this woman by the hair and threw her on the ground and rendered her unconscious by banging her head against the ground before she could be disentangled. She was ultimately restrained by three women searchers while being searched by a fourth.
Will the Minister tell us what particular necessity there was for searching people who had been in prison for weeks before removing them to another prison?
It is very necessary to search prisoners from time to time in prisons and camps, even though they are not being removed, and it is no harm at all, when you are opening a new camp, to have a thorough search of everybody going into it.