§ MR. JAMES DALY (Monaghan, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland will he explain the reason why a County Inspector having a Divisional Commissioner in his district receives £50 per annum more than a County Inspector having no Divisional Commissioner in his district whether he can say what is this £50 per annum paid for; and whether he intends discontinuing the payment of the sum mentioned in future, considering the intended reduction of the police force in Ireland?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe allowance referred to has been paid for Many years to three County Inspectors at Divisional head-quarters in consideration of the assistance rendered by them to three of the Divisional Commissioners who are not Constabulary officers, and for whom, in the event of absence on leave, etc., the Divisional County Inspector acts as locum tenens. There is no intention to discontinue the allowance, as the reduction of the force makes no appreciable difference in the extent of the duty for which it was originally provided.
§ MR. JASPER TULLY (Leitrim, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether an inquiry has been held by the Inspector General of Royal Irish Constabulary into charges preferred against Constable Lester, of the County Leitrim force; whether he can state the nature of the charges, and the result of the inquiry; and what action, if any, has been taken in the matter?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURAn inquiry was held by direction of the Inspector General into the subject matter of a complaint against the constable named in the Question by a cycling firm in Dublin, and as a result of that inquiry the constable was admonished and transferred at his own expense to another county.