HC Deb 02 August 1897 vol 52 cc88-9
MR. DILLON

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether he is aware that at the Castleblaney quarter sessions on the 10th October last, the Grand Jury passed a resolution commending the conduct of Sergeant Corry and Constable Flynn for their action in one of the cases tried at the quarter session; and that the Judge handed this resolution to the District Inspector to be forwarded to the Inspector General; and (2) whether the resolution was forwarded in due course?

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

The facts are as stated in the first paragraph. Two days after the adoption of the resolution, the members of the Constabulary named in the Question made an application for favourable consideration of their conduct in connection with the case referred to, but on the 14th October asked permission to withdraw their application, and the District Inspector, under the circumstances, did not consider it necessary to submit the resolution to the Inspector General. The Inspector General having now considered the resolution, is of opinion that the duty performed by the police in this case was of very ordinary character, and not such as to entitle them to any special recognition.

MR. DILLON

said that the right hon. Gentleman had not answered his Question as to why this District Inspector did not in due course submit the resolution, as ordered by the Judge, to the Inspector General?

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

The hon. Gentleman does not appear to have read his own Question. There is nothing in his Question as to why the resolution was not sent to the Inspector General. The Inspector probably did not consider it as of sufficient importance.