asked the Minister for Home Affairs if he will state the reasons for refusing to refund the fine of £2 imposed on Mr. Charles Woulfe, Knock, Co. Clare, for carrying out the instructions of the I.R.A. during the Black and Tan regime by absenting himself as a juror at Quarter Sessions.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - REFUNDS OF FINE ON CLARE JUROR.
Mr. O'HIGGINS
A memorial was received in December, 1923, from Mr. Woulfe praying for a remission of a fine of £2 which he stated was imposed upon him for non-attendance as a juror at Ennis in the year 1920 or 1921. The request was not acceded to; and while I am not prepared to initiate the practice of disclosing the particular grounds on which petitions of this nature are rejected or acceded to, I would point out that in this case a period of over two years was allowed to elapse before any appeal was made by the memorialist. The remission of fines will not be considered where the application is deferred for an unreasonable period.