MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland will he issue instructions to have the actual cost of foraging troop and transport horses in the Royal Irish Constabulary duly vouched and shown in the public accounts like other items of expenditure; how many of the 267 County and District Inspectors of the Royal Irish Constabulary in receipt of rent for a private house have their office in a barrack, while they draw rent for an office elsewhere; how many of such offices in barracks are wholly or partially furnished with articles of barrack furniture paid for by the public; how many County and District Inspectors in receipt of an annual allowance of £50 for a private horse and £45 for a servant, while residing away from the station, keep their horses, cars, hay, straw, &c, on the barrack premises; and on what grounds was it stated that sergeants in charge of stations had their stationery allowance lately doubled?
MR. J. MORLEYAs regards the first paragraph, I see some disadvantage in this sort of contract with officers. There is this to be said, however, against the suggestion of the hon. Member—namely, that it would result in the loss of control over the expenditure. The allowance covers not only feeding, but also shoeing, medicine, and stable requisites; and if these were purchased and paid for separately, the total cost would, it is considered, be greatly increased. I will make further inquiry, however, into the matter. No allowance for an office elsewhere than in barracks is drawn by any officers, except eight District Inspectors, and the Inspector j General has no reason to believe that any of these do not provide offices in their own he uses. No articles of distinctively office furniture are supplied by the Constabulary Department. In some instances articles of furniture were supplied by the Board of Works in barracks built by that Department; the practice, however, has long since been discontinued, although the few articles so supplied were not removed. The Inspector General cannot reply to the fourth 1247 paragraph, but I have requested him to make inquiry into the matter, he informs me that in some instances, however, he is aware that it is most difficult for officers to procure suitable stabling in the town where stationed, and some are compelled to live in lodgings and cannot obtain he uses. In cases where such difficulty exists officers have always been allowed to keep their horses on barrack premises. It was not stated that the stationery allowance for sergeants in charge of stations had been lately doubled. The increase was granted from April 1, 1882, whilst the increase in the officers' allowance did not take effect till December, 1890.
MR. T. M. HEALYWe want to get the basis on which these officers propose to commute their allowances after the home Rule Bill is passed.