Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

The Whiteboys were not just endemic to Tipperary; they were quite prevalent in other areas also. I thank the Office of the Attorney General for writing to the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to determine whether he can remove the legislation.

It is very interesting what the Minister of State said to Senator Mansergh about the Whiteboys and Molly Maguires, or whatever name was put on such groups at the time. They represented the early stirrings of a movement of people who were not prepared to put up with their circumstances for much longer. The 19th century saw the enactment of various land Acts, the espousal of the principles of fair rent, free sale and fixity of tenure. Then there were the attempts by the Conservatives to bury Home Rule by kindness and all of that. However, these were the first stirrings in terms of people not being willing to put up with their circumstances.