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The following Question stood on the Paper in the name of Mr. BERNARD MOLLOY (King's County, Birr):—
To ask the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the body of troops stationed at Birr Barracks have been withdrawn; and that these barracks, occupied since 1810 by a full complement of troops, are to be in future occupied only by a few men representing the depôt of the Leinster Regiment: If the attention of those responsible for this disuse of Birr Barracks has been drawn to the fact that the great portion of the business of Birr has grown up and become dependent on the occupation of these barracks, that the traders, trusting to the belief that Birr Barracks would continue to be occupied by troops, have invested their capital in the commercial arrangements necessary for the supply of these barracks, and that the withdrawal of the troops entails the loss of the capital so invested, and the loss of some £20,000 a-year to the town and neighbourhood of Birr; and if he will lay these facts before the military authorities, and use his influence in the direction of preventing so great an injury.
§ MR. MOLLOYsaid, he would post pone the question.
§ *MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANI can answer it now.
§ MR. MOLLOYNo, I would rather not.
§ *MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANIt was decided in 1890, with the concurrence of the Irish Government, to withdraw the headquarters of an infantry battalion recently stationed at Birr, and it will not be replaced by another unless unexpected circumstances render it temporarily necessary to re-occupy the barrack. The depôt of the Leinster Regiment at present stationed there consists of four companies, and may, according to the requirements of the service, muster as many as 200, or even more, men. I would remind the hon. Member that the question of how much a neighbourhood is benefited by the presence of troops cannot be allowed to weigh in settling the stations to which they are allotted, which are governed by military reasons.