§ MR. D. MACALEESE (Monaghan, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland how many head constables of the Royal Irish Constabulary have been promoted to district inspectorships since January 1895, and 366 will the next vacancy be given to a head constable; whether, in view of the fact that the Commandant, Adjutant, Musketry Instructor, Riding Master, two Reserve Officers, Chief Clerk, and the Private Secretary to the Inspector-General, are all Englishmen and Protestants, he will consider the claims of Roman Catholics in making future appointments; and if it is the intention of the Irish Excutive to reorganise the force?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURNo head constables have been promoted to the rank of district inspector since January 1895, as no vacancies have existed. There are altogether 12 constabulary officers permanently stationed at the depôt, and of these seven are Protestants and five Roman Catholics. I may add that there is no present intention of reorganising the force, and that in no case are the chances of a candidate diminished by reason of his being a Roman Catholic.