§ SIR THOMAS ESMONDE (Dublin, Co., S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the money subscribed to the Constabulary Force Fund by a Constabulary pensioner, on retirement as a pensioner, is lost to him; whether pensioners are compelled to subscribe as long as they live; whether compensation is based upon actual time of service; and whether any Resident Magistrates have been compensated, or have received money, from this Fund; and, if so, to what amount?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI hardly understand the inquiry in the first paragraph of the question. I may say, however, that it is altogether optional with a pensioner from the Royal Irish Constabulary whether he will continue a subscriber to the Constabulary Force Fund. A married man continuing a subscriber secures for his family the same claim as they had against the Fund while he was actively serving. Pensioners are not compelled to subscribe. Married pensioners, however, almost invariably do so. On the other hand, men retiring from the force unmarried, or without families surviving, do not subscribe, as they have no family to be benefited. The scale regulating gratuities from the Fund is based upon the total amount of salary and pension received, and consequently upon the contribution paid to the Fund by the subscriber. My answer is, of course, confined to the case 1844 of persons appointed to the Royal Irish Constabulary prior to the Act of 1883. As regards the last paragraph, I understand that prior to 1836 there existed a small body of Police Magistrates who belonged to the Force and subscribed to the Fund, which they continued to do after the title and status of their appointment was changed to Resident Magistrates. In such cases their families received the usual regulation gratuities from the Fund. But no Resident Magistrate appointed for the first time under the Act of 1836 has received any compensation or money from this Fund.