HC Deb 20 February 1890 vol 341 cc741-2
MR. T. M. HEALT

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether complaints have reached of the manner in which Sergeant Chase, of the Dublin Metropolitan Police (mounted force), who has been for some time Station Sergeant in Kevin Street, habitually treats the Roman Catholic, members of the force over whom he is in command; whether he is aware that six Roman Catholics have had, in consequence, to resign their positions since his appointment, and to join the unmounted force again; that, of the men appointed to fill their places, three were Protestants, though, by right, five out of the six should have been Catholics; and that, on the 29th June and l0th August last, two holidays in the Catholic Church, the men under Sergeant Chase were prevented from hearing mass, being at an early hour taken to Phoenix Park and drilled there on those days; and, whether steps will be taken to remedy the grievances complained of by the Catholic policemen under Sergeant Chase's command?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

The Commissioner of Police reports that no complaints have ever been received of the nature indicated in the first paragraph. Neither is it the case that the men referred to as resigning their position did so by reason of any action on the part of the sergeant mentioned. They did so voluntarily, for the purpose of obtaining promotion in the unmounted service. The men appointed were selected not on account of their religion, but because that, in the opinion of their officers, they were the fittest for the position. The officers who made the selections were, as a matter of fact, all Roman Catholics. The allegations as to the men having been prevented from hearing Mass is equally groundless.

MR. M. HEALY

Does the right hon. Gentleman know whether the men referred to were unable to attend mass on the occasion in question?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I believe that mass is celebrated during every half-hour from 7 a.m., and the men wore able to attend if they had desired.

MR. M. HEALY

The allegation is that on the day in question they were removed to a place which made it impossible for them to attend mass.

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I am distinctly informed that the men conld have attended mass if they liked.