§ MR. PATRICK O'BRIEN (Kilkenny)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether service in the Army was offered to the 995 candidates for the Royal Irish Constabularly on the books when recruiting for that force was discontinued in December, 1896; what sort of service in the Army was offered to them; were they to constitute a new regiment; how many of the 995 accepted the offer of the military authorities; and how are they now employed in the Army?
§ MR. BRODRICKLast December, when recruiting for the Royal Irish Constabulary was still suspended, a proposal was made by the War Office to the Irish Government, that any candidates then on the books who might desire to do so should enlist in the Army, under certain conditions which would enable them to 1234 return later on to the Constabulary. The Irish Government did not approve the suggestion, and the matter dropped. If any of these candidates did enlist, it has been as ordinary recruits, and they cannot be identified.