Peace Commissioners

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murf
Posts: 365
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2009 12:58 am
Location: Qld Australia

Peace Commissioners

Post by murf » Mon Nov 11, 2019 10:44 pm

I came across the following while searching for John McInerney of Parliament Street Ennistymon. It may be referenced elswhere, but a search on the ClareLib website revealed nothing specific, so I post it here anyway for general info:
HELP FOR THE D.J.'S
SIGNING OF DOCUMENTS
The official announcement from the Government Publicity Department recalls " that Justices of the Peace in the British regime were deprived of all powers and duties by the Adaptation of Enactments Act last Decembor. Since then only the District Judges who replaced the old Resident Magistrates (and of whom there is only about one in every county) have been available for the performance of the numerous duties, some judicial,
some merely routine, formally carried out by Justices of the Peace. " The result has been that, as the District Justice could not possibly do all this work over an entire county, a certain amount of irregularity, delay, and disappointment took place. This affected such things as the signing of declarations for old age pension purposes or the committal of a criminal arrested by the Civic Guard.

" In future the work of the District Justices will be principally Court work at regular hours, which will mean in most cases holding a Court in different parts of the county each week-day.

NO JUDICIAL FUNCTIONS.
" The new Peace Commissioners, while corresponding roughly to the Justices of the Peace, have no judicial functions. " They will not be authorised to try anybody, nor impose any penalty, nor hold a Court, nor renew liquor licences. These activities are reserved for the District Justices, who in each case is a trained lawyer, salaried, distinterested, and not amenable to local pressure. " The District Justices (Temporary Provisions) Act lays down the duties of the Peace Commissioners in Section 4. They are authorised to sign summonses and warrants, administer oaths and take declarations and informations, commit dangerous lunatics, and remand persons charged with indictable offences to the District Justice's Court." In spite of the recent troubles good citizens were everywhere found ready to porform the troublesome but necessary duties of Peace Commissioners without salary, without the dignity of appearing on the Bench, or any incentive other than helping to maintain public order and convenience.

TAKE NO OATH.
" The appointments hereby notified are only a proportion of those to be made. The full complement for the Saorstat will be about 2,000, or about 40 for every county. Great care has been taken by the Minister for Home Affairs in selecting men who will reflect credit on the position.

" The appointments as Peace Commissioners are made on the grounds of competence and willingness to assist. The names already announced are principally, but not exclusively, of men who have been prominent in the National movement. Clergymen have not been appointed, nor have members of the vintners' trade. Peace Commissioners do not take an oath to any person or Government; they merely sign a statement that they will do their duty 'to the best of my ability, and with impartiality."
The following is the first list.....

County Clare
Dr. Peter O'Dwyer, Ennistymon.
John Mclnerney, Parliament St. , do.
Cornelius McGrath, Ballyblood . Tulla,
Barth. C. Mescall, Westend, Kilkee.
William Purcell, Banrcetto, Feakle.
Mat. J. Kelly, Kilkerin, Labasheeda.
John C. Cannon, Crovraghan, Kildysart.
Martin O'Gorman. 41 O'Curry St., Kilkee.
Terence Duggan, Rathflynn, Maurices' Mills.
Donnchadh MacMathghanha, Raheen, Tomgraney.
George Brew, Henry St., Kilrush.
John Sexton, Furroor, Lissycasey, Ennis:
Matt. Lynch, Main St, Miltown-Malbay.
Michael O'Dea, Quin.
Thos Scanlon, _Caherhurley, Bodyke.
P. J. Hogan, Coolreagh, Bodyke.
Ed, Russell, Russell Villa, Sixmilebridge.
Geo. O'C. Westropp, Lismehane, O'Callaghan's Mills.
Patk. Burke, Dromaar, Whitegate
John Gibson Healy, Moyarta, Carrigaholt
John O'Mara, Flagmount, Feakle.
Edward Monahan, 10 Parnell St., Ennis

Irish Independent, Thursday, May 24, 1923, p. 5
Further appointments followed in the ensuing years.

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