asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has yet completed the inquiries into the damaging to the extent of £2,000 of the co-operative creamery at Abbeydorney and the assault on the manager; if he is aware that the manager, Mr. T. O'Donovan, has made a sworn affidavit that the looting and firing of this creamery and the unprovoked assault on himself was committed by uniformed forces of the Crown; and that, since this matter was raised in this House, the dwellings of the manager and engineman have been burnt down by forces of the Crown?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to add anything to the statement I made with reference to this matter in reply to a similar question by the hon. and gallant Member on the 25th ultimo.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this sacking took place on 18th October, and how is he not able to give the House information about it? Furthermore, is ho aware that, following the first raising of this question in the House of Commons, the manager and engineer of the creamery had their houses burned down by uniformed police, and cannot he take some steps to find out about this matter?

The question of my hon. and gallant Friend was put down on 28th November. It is extremely difficult in the disturbed condition of that district to get an inquiry together. Very often the officers who are to hold the inquiry are shot.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that when questions are put down asking for information as to the burning of these creameries we are always put off with evasive replies of this character?

Colonel C. LOWTHER:

Is not the House tired of these constant allegations against men who are engaged in the execution of their duty?

The House can form its own opinion as to that, but there is no attempt on the part of the Irish Government to evade responsibility.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that four officers sent to make inquiry into this particular case when questions were put down have been shot while making inquiries?

Some officers certainly have been shot.

Has any evidence yet been received that uniformed officers of the Crown were responsible for this?

No.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the fact that this question was repeated on November 28th, but that notice of it was given a month ago and that it has been postponed four times?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that every time these questions are put down a policeman is murdered?

No. The houses are burned.

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland the number of cooperative concerns that have been either totally or partly destroyed from March up to the end of November in Ireland; if he can state the estimated value of such property; and if the owner of such property will be entitled to compensation due to such destruction?

For details regarding the destruction of co-operative creameries in Ireland, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave in reply to a similar question by the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Waterson) on the 25th ultimo. So far as I am aware, no other creameries were destroyed in Ireland during November, with the exception of the Duharran creamery near Nenagh, which was destroyed on the 25th or 26th ultimo, of the attack on which I had no knowledge at the time when I gave that reply. I have no means of ascertaining the information desired in regard to co-operative institutions other than creameries in Ireland.