Irish Prisoners Refuse Food

7.

Mr. BYRNE
asked the Chief Secretary if there are any prisoners in Ireland on hunger strike; if they are being forcibly fed; and if he will state the condition of their health?

Mr. SAMUELS
Some prisoners in Irish gaols are refusing to take food. None are being forcibly fed. The health of the men concerned is necessarily in a precarious state.

Mr. BYRNE
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is one man in Mount-joy Gaol who has been eleven days without food, and is the right hon. Gentleman  aware of the disastrous results in Ireland if we should have another Thomas Ashe tragedy?

Mr. SAMUELS
Persons who refuse to take their food will have to take the consequences.

Mr. LYNCH 
Is it not a fact that the Government entered into an undertaking at the time of the Thomas Ashe tragedy that these men should nut be treated on the old system as common criminals, and is it not a fact that that engagement with these men has been broken?

Mr. SAMUELS
I must ask the hon. Member to put down another question.

Mr. BYRNE
I take this opportunity of cautioning the right hon. Gentleman—

Mr. SPEAKER 
This is not the time for cautioning.

Mr. JOYCE
Does the same law apply to prisoners in this country as they are applying to political prisoners in Ireland?

Mr. SAMUELS
The law of the United Kingdom is the same.