§ MR. J. DALY (Monaghan, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, (1) if he can state how much per annum the police hut of Dromod, South Monaghan, costs the State; (2) what is the valuation of the evicted farms this hut is intended to protect; (3) if he is aware that County Court Judge Orr was presented with white gloves at the assize town of the district of Castleblaney last Sessions; (4) whether he had seen the complimentary address of Judge Orr on the peaceful state of the locality; and (5) if he will take steps to have the hut removed, considering the very orderly state of the district?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. GERALD BALFOUR,) Leeds, CentralThe pay and allowances of the police at Dromod Hut amount to about £267 per annum, but this sum does not represent any additional cost to the State, since the services of the police there are used for general public purposes in a large surrounding area, and the reason for the quartering of the men in a hut, instead of a regular barrack, is because no suitable house is obtainable in the locality. Prior to October, 1894, the hut existed solely for the protection of the occupant of an evicted farm, the valuation of which is £18 10s. The fact is as stated in the third paragraph, and the hon. Member has been good enough to send me a newspaper report of the Judge's address referred to in the next paragraph.
§ MR. DALYasked whether it was not a fact that there were no police at that particular place until the eviction took place; whether it was not true they were put there for protection duty, and whether that was not an extra charge on the district?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURsaid they were put there at first for protection purposes, and were retained for general purposes.
§ DR. TANNER (Cork, Mid)Raise the question on the Estimates.