HC Deb 24 August 1894 vol 29 cc415-6
MR. KENNEDY (Kildare, N.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to the small proportion of officers, and especially staff officers, of the Royal Irish Constabulary who are Catholics, as compared with the overwhelming Catholic majority of the Irish population; whether, in Dublin Castle, the Inspector General and three assistants are Protestants; whether, at the depôt, the commandant, adjutant, riding master, medical officer, apothecary, and the four company officers are all Pro- testants; whether the four Divisional Commissioners and seven of the eight officers attending on them are also Protestants; whether 32 out of the 36 County Inspectors and the Police Inspector of Belfast are Protestants, while out of 224 District Inspectors of Police in-Ireland but 44 are Catholics; whether he is aware that the seven sergeants in Dublin Castle and the four clerks in the commandant's office receiving extra pay are also Protestants; and will he take steps during the Recess to revise the present system of appointment in the Royal Irish Constabulary?

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. MOKLEY, New-castle-upon-Tyne)

The statements in, this question are generally correct. I understand that two Roman Catholic District Inspectors have recently passed the examination for the position of County Inspector, and will be the next to receive promotion to the latter rank. Of the 224 District Inspectors 45 are Roman Catholics. I may also observe that the Deputy Inspector General is a Catholic, and that four of the depôt officers are of the same religion. Of the nine sergeants employed in the Constabulary office who receive extra pay three are Catholics. It is true, no doubt, that the proportion of Catholics in the higher ranks of the Force is small, and I may say I have already given some attention to the matter, which is one not free from much difficulty. I shall look into the question again during the Recess, and see whether any modification of the existing arrangements is practicable.