asked the Minister for Defence if he is aware that it is alleged that on Friday, June 15th, about 100 members of the I.T.G.W. Union, concerned in the County Waterford Farm Dispute, who were waiting to receive dispute pay on the roadside at Newtown, Co. Waterford, were ordered off the road by Drill Instructor McFadden of Carroll's Cross, who was in charge of a party of military; that on the men adjourning to an adjacent school, Drill Instructor McFadden followed them, and after placing a guard on both doors of the school, addressed the men, using very offensive and threatening language, and in the course of which he is alleged to have stated he was there to uphold the rule of the rifle, and that, if necessary, he would take out some of those present into the adjacent field, and put the red badge (the badge of the I.T.G.W.U.) through their hearts with a bullet, and to ask whether the Minister will order that an inquiry will be held into these allegations.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. [ ORAL ANSWERS. ] - WATERFORD FARM DISPUTE.
I am not aware of the allegations and have had no representations on the matter from any person, nor any statement of the alleged facts. I am having inquiry made with a view to ascertaining to what extent, if any, any soldier on the occasion in question exceeded his duty. The troops are acting with tact and discretion in their very difficult task in Waterford. In view of the serious nature, and the possible inflammatory tendency of such suggestions as are contained in the question, I regret the Deputy should make a question in this particular form take the place of representations to me in some other way.
Will the Minister inform Deputy O'Brien of the result of the inquiry?
Certainly.
When will it be likely that you can so inform him?
I cannot say. In the meantime it would help very much in making inquiries into these matters, if we could have plain statements of facts.
May I ask the Minister if the evidence at the inquiry will be purely military or military and civilian?
It is alleged that a certain non-commissioned officer and certain men were at O'Carroll's Cross at this particular time. A question is put suggesting that a certain incident took place. I am going to take, from whatever soldiers were present at the time, statements of what occurrence took place. That is the extent to which I am going to make inquiry in the present matter.
Am I to take it that the Minister will not accept civilian evidence—evidence from people present who witnessed the incident?
If the Deputy will read the question he will probably consider that I am doing what is simply the natural and proper thing to do from my point of view, when a suggestion like this is made in this particular form.
I am precluded by the Standing Orders from expressing an opinion on that statement, but I will repeat my supplementary question. Will or will not the Minister allow civilian evidence to be tendered at the inquiry?
I am not going to approach civilians in the matter. A certain allegation has been made with regard to the action of certain soldiers. They are not even allegations. I am going to make an inquiry of the Army officials who were present at the time, as to what exactly took place. If, as a result of these inquiries, any further action on my part is necessary, that action will be taken. As a preliminary step, that is the action I am going to take.