§ MR. MCCARTAN (Down, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, with reference to the Constabulary Code published in book form in Ireland, whether he will suggest the propriety of publishing a book containing a new Code with all the altera- 789 tions and modifications up to date; whether the Code will then be available to the public, and particularly to the lawyers who defend the accused at constabulary inquiries; and if he is aware that at present lawyers engaged for such accused are obliged to defend them without an opportunity of purchasing or obtaining before the time of the inquiry a copy of the Code for violation of which the alleged charges are made?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURThe Royal Irish Constabulary Code is at present under revision, and the new edition, when issued, will contain orders brought down, to the latest date. The question has been frequently raised of making the code available to the public, but I concur in opinion with my predecessor that it would not be expedient to depart from the decision previously laid down that the Code is a Departmental publication intended solely for the guidance of the Force, and that it should not be made available for the use of the general public. With regard to the last paragraph of the Question, it is to be observed that Constabulary Courts of Inquiry are not legal tribunals in the proper sense of the term. They are merely Departmental inquiries, held with the view of ascertaining facts in order to enable the Inspector-General to more effectively deal with cases of breach of discipline. Members of the Force who employ solicitors on such occasions are only permitted to do so by the President of the Court as a matter of grace.