HC Deb 07 July 1890 vol 346 cc935-6
MR. W. A. MACDONALD

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that while there is a Volunteer Force in England and Scotland there is none in Ireland; whether he can state the reason for this difference; and whether the Government will take steps to have Ireland placed in this respect on an equality with the other parts of the United Kingdom?

*MR. E. STANHOPE

I do not think I can do better than quote verbatim the reply made to a similar question when the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Mid Lothian was Prime Minister. The answer was that— It would be remembered that in 1863 the Government of Lord Palmerston declined to extend the Volunteer system to Ireland, not because there was any reason to doubt the loyalty of the great majority of the Irish people, but because, on account of the unfortunate existence of strong religious dissensions in that country, there was great danger of the Volunteer Corps assuming a sectarian character, and of collisions and breaches of the peace resulting therefrom. It was hoped this circumstance might not constitute a permanent obstacle to the raising of Volunteer Corps in Ireland; but the state of things at the present time could not be said to be so completely altered as to enable the Government to sanction the formation of Volunteer Corps in Ireland. It seems to me that the grounds for this-decision are at least as strong now as in 1871, and I cannot advise my Colleagues to reverse it.

*MR. W. A. MACDONALD

Does that, reason apply in the South and West of Ireland, where the people are nearly all of the same religion?

*MR. E. STANHOPE

It would not be possible to have a decision varying with different parts of Ireland.

MR. E. HARRINGTON (Kerry, W.)

Would not the same reasons apply to the Militia?

*MR. E. STANHOPE

The Militia are organised in a totally different way from the Volunteers.