§ MR. GILHOOLY () (for Mr. FLYNN) () Cork, N.asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he is aware that a protest against the removal of the headquarter station of the Royal Irish Constabulary from Ballymote, County Sligo, has been extensively signed by gentry, merchants, and traders of Ballymote and district; whether Ballymote is by much the most populous town in the district, is centrally situate at the junction of four baronies, has 12 important fairs in the year, is the place where the Quarter Sessions, Petty Sessions, and Land Sessions are held, and has been a head-quarter Constabulary station since the formation of this force, now some 50 years ago; and, why the head-quarters have been removed?
THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER SECRETARY (Colonel KING-HARMAN) () (who replied) Kent, Isle of Thanetsaid, the Government had no knowledge of the protest referred to in the Question having been received; but the facts were substantially as stated in the second part of the Question. The head-quarters of the Constabulary had been removed from Ballymote owing to the difficulty experienced in getting a suitable building, or a site for a building, at a reasonable rate. He would make further inquiries as to the protest from the residents.