HC Deb 04 August 1899 vol 75 cc1489-90
MR. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, during the recent Belfast riots, a magistrate of that city objected to Constable Nulty doing point duty in his neighbourhood; that shortly afterwards he wrote a private letter to the constabulary authorities requesting that the constable be transferred; and that the constable, with a large family, was accordingly transferred, at great inconvenience, at one day's notice to a distant station; and whether any charge was made against the policeman; and, if so, what it was; and why was it not publicly investigated in the manner provided by the Constabulary Act, so that the constable might have had an opportunity of offering an explanation or making a defence.

MR. MACALEESE (Monaghan, N.)

I beg at the same time to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland will he explain why Constable Nulty has been removed from Belfast, and upon whose complaint; whether on the repre- sentation of a local justice or an alderman, without official inquiry and against the wish of the town commissioners, a policeman may be removed from Belfast; and will he communicate with the Inspector-General, Sir Andrew Reed, to the end that an inquiry may be held into the removal of Constable Nulty.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. G. W. BALFOUR,) Leeds, Central

It is true that on the occasion of the recent disturbances in Belfast a magistrate of that city communicated with the Commissioner of Police relative to the constable named in the question. The matter was closely inquired into by the Commissioner, who was of opinion that it was expedient in the interests of the service and of the public to remove the constable from Belfast. He was accordingly transferred to an adjoining county, so as to put him to as little inconvenience as possible. The Commissioner and the Inspector-General have full power to remove a member of the force from his station whenever it may appear to them expedient from sufficient cause to take this step. The decision to remove Constable Nulty was only arrived at after careful investigation, and upon the strong recommendation of the Commissioner.