§ MR. PARNELLI wish to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland—although, perhaps, the Question should be addressed to the Secretary of State for War—Whether it is true that any application has been made to the Marines to volunteer for police duty in Ireland; and, if so, whether he can inform the House what class of police duties those Marines are to be employed upon; and, whether they will have the execution of the Curfew Clauses of the Prevention of Crime Act?
§ MR. TREVELYANIt is true that volunteers have been called from the Marines to assist the police in Ireland; but I cannot at present give any further information on the subject. Care will be taken to guard against any mistakes which might occur from want of local knowledge or experience. There are no 496 people in Ireland on whom such mistakes would fall more severely than upon the Executive Government.
§ MR. PARNELLI wish to ask the Chief Secretary whether he can inform the House whether those Marines are to be employed on protection duty or as constables-in-aid of the civic force?
§ MR. TREVELYANI must decline to give particulars, except so far as to say that arrangements will be made among the police and their new colleagues for the purpose of affording, as far as possible, assistance to the police in carrying out their duty, and that all the duty that can possibly be called protective duty shall be intrusted to the new force.