Vol. 194 No. 9
asked the Taoiseach why in the case of the appeal hearing of the Attorney-General v. Ó Cuinneagáin, listed for hearing before a Circuit Court Judge at Naas, County Kildare, on the 13th March, 1962, the request of the appellant, Gearóid Ó Cuinneagáin, to the State that this appeal be heard in Irish was refused by the State.
3.
asked the Taoiseach if he is aware that the solicitor representing the Attorney-General in the appeal of the Attorney-General v. Ó Cuinneagáin, heard in the Circuit Court in Naas, County Kildare, on the 13th March, used English only, apart from a few questions put to Gearóid Ó Cuinneagáin in Irish, who, it was known, would not reply to any questions in English; and what action he proposes to take in this matter.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together.
It is not correct to say that a request for the hearing of the case referred to in the questions was refused by the State. The hearing of Court cases is a matter for the Courts, who are, of course, independent in the discharge of their functions.
The State Solicitor who appeared on behalf of the Attorney-General was competent to deal with the case in Irish. The appellant, who had given evidence in Irish, was cross-examined in Irish by the State Solicitor. The services of an official interpreter were available and were used during the hearing to the extent required.
