HC Deb 24 March 1892 vol 2 cc1668-9
MR. A. O'CONNOR

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he has yet ascertained the facts as to the constabulary of Donegal "free quota" and "extra;" and whether he will direct the discontinuance of the claim for "extra" men to the extent to which the "free quota" is short?

MR. JACKSON

As questions have recently been asked by hon. Members as to the allocation of the Royal Irish Constabulary apparently arising out of Parliamentary Paper No. 33 of this Session, it may be convenient if I make a statement on the general procedure. The free quota for all Ireland consists of 10,006 men. It is re-distributed every three years under the Act passed in 1885. The procedure is, first, to divide the number between the aggregate of counties and of towns having separate police establishments, according to population. The total so ascertained as available for counties is first apportioned to individual counties according to population, and a like apportionment is made according to area. The mean of these results produces the ordinary free quota assignable to a county. The apportionment among towns is in the ratio of population, subject to variation as local circumstances, such as being a seaport, may require. An extra force is assigned to counties on the requisition of the Magistrates or by proclamation of the Lord Lieutenant. The free quota and the extra force combined are called the augmented force. Where vacancies in this augmented force exist they are apportioned between the free quota and the extra force in the manner indicated in the 14th section of 29 & 30 Vict. c. 103, which is represented by the following sum in proportion—namely, as the total establishment (:) average extra force (::) total vacancies in total establishment (:) vacancies in extra force. The vacancies so found to apply to the extra force are deducted before any charge is made to the county. With regard to the particular case of the County Donegal, its free quota consists of 300 men and its extra force of 20, to which number it has been reduced since 31st March, 1891, when the extra force stood at 30. It is not practicable to reduce the charge for the extra force by the number by which the free quota of a county is short. The recurring waste must be provided for by keeping recruits in training at the depôt, and it is evident that to keep the free quota of a county always at its full strength would necessitate an increase in the total 10,006 men to the extent of the number of recruits to be kept in training at the depôt, for which there would be no statutable authority.

MR. A. O'CONNOR

How many are there now in Donegal, and how many are at the depôt in respect of Donegal?

MR. JACKSON

There the difficulty arises, because I would point out to the hon. Member that the allocation of a free quota to a county is not really the allocation of so many men. It would be more correctly stated as so many parts of the whole force. Although 300 men are nominally assigned to the County of Donegal?—

MR. A. O'CONNOR

By Statute?

MR. JACKSON

No, not by Statute. There is a fresh disposition and distribution every three years.

MR. HAYDEN (Leitrim, S.)

Is the extra force included in the 10,006 men?

MR. JACKSON

No.