MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland will he explain why it is that, although the Chief Commissioner issued an Order to the force on 21st December that any sergeant who has been passed over or is ineligible for promotion should not be called upon to act as station sergeant, the above-mentioned duty is now performed by sergeants before they pass any qualifying examination, and by sergeants who failed to qualify at a recent examination; and whether these men are to continue to perform such duty over the heads of sergeants who are senior to them in rank and service, and who have done this duty for a great number of years without complaint?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELANDI am informed by the Chief Commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police that the Order of 21st December has been generally complied with, except in a few cases where men, ineligible under its terms, were employed for a short time to replace others who were sick. The employment of such men has now been discontinued, and steps have been taken to secure a strict compliance with the Order in future.