asked the Minister for Justice if he will state whether he has received a report that a motor van conveying copies of the Cork Examiner to Tralee was seized at Carlaheen Cross on Saturday, 8th September, by a body of armed and masked men and its contents burned; and if he will state whether the persons responsible for this outrage have been identified and charged.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Alleged Breaches of the Peace.
asked the Minister for Justice if he will state whether he is aware that about 2.30 on Saturday morning, 21st July, the home of Mr. Timothy Murphy, Bedford, Listowel, was raided by masked and armed men, who forcibly entered the house by bursting in the door, and who searched it; and if he will state whether the persons guilty of this outrage have been identified and charged.
asked the Minister for Justice if he will state whether he has received a report that on Thursday night, 6th September, a number of persons in the house of Mr. Patrick Quirke, Lickeen, Glencar, were attacked by a body of men armed with sticks and batons, and, later on, the windows of Mr. Quirke's shop were smashed with stones and considerable damage done; and if he will state whether the persons guilty of this outrage have been identified and charged.
asked the Minister for Justice if he will state whether he is aware that on Friday night, the 31st August, a dancing floor belonging to the Strokestown Branch of the League of Youth was destroyed at Ashbrook, by being sprinkled with petrol and burned; and if he will state whether the persons guilty of this outrage have been identified and charged.
asked the Minister for Justice if he will state whether he has received a report that a number of persons endeavoured forcibly to interfere with a dance at Ardaghey Hall, Inver, County Donegal, on 25th August, with the result that the Gárda Síochána had to intervene and to disperse them by the use of batons; and if he will state whether the persons responsible for this offence have been identified and charged.
I propose to take together Questions Nos. 14-18 inclusive. In all these cases I have received a full report from the police. Summonses have been issued against 11 persons who have been identified as taking part in the incidents referred to in Question No. 16. No proceedings have been taken in any of the other cases.
Are we to understand from the Minister that he has allowed two months to pass since the attack was made on the motor van belonging to the Cork Examiner, when the car and its contents were burned; that he has allowed four months to pass since an armed attack was made by masked men on the house of Timothy Murphy; that he has allowed more than three months to pass since the dancing floor, the property of the League of Youth, was destroyed near Strokestown; that he has allowed more than three months to pass since an attack was made on the persons attending a dance at Inver, County Donegal, without taking special steps to see that the Guards vigorously pursued inquiries after the persons who carried out these outrages?
The Guards did pursue these inquiries and are pursuing them vigorously still. There has been no relaxation and no avoidable delay.
Can the Minister say how many months he thinks it will take to find out who destroyed the motor car on its way to deliver newspapers at Tralee last September? Already three months have elapsed.
There have been many cases in the past where years have elapsed and nobody has been brought to justice.
Am I to understand that the Minister does not expect to trace the persons guilty of the outrages?
That is not so. The Deputy is not entitled to assume anything of the kind.