MR. T. M. HEALYI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, having regard to the fact that the uniform and clothing of the Dublin police are imported from England, although this force is largely supported out of local rates, and that the uniforms of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and the uniform and clothing used in the Irish Prison Service, and the Army clothing used in Ireland, are obtained also in England, and in view of the difficulty entailed on Irish manufacturers by the 413 system of contracts established by the Government Department at Pimlico, whether the Government would consider the advisability of starting an Irish Government Clothing Department, so that local manufactures may be established on lines which would make it possible for the clothing used in Irish Government Services to be made in Ireland.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURThe contractors for the supply of cloth for the Irish police are all, I believe, resident in England, but the making up of the articles of clothing is, with the exception of helmets, in the hands of Irish firms. The subject of contracts for the clothing of the police has on more than one occasion engaged my own personal consideration. Proposals have been made to me that these contracts should be restricted to Irish firms alone, and that the existing system of inspection at the Army Clothing Department in London should be abolished. As regards the first proposal, every facility has been given to Irish firms to tender, and they have been supplied with samples of the standard patterns. It is impracticable for the Government to consent to the restriction of these contracts to Irish firms alone, but in the case of such firms the only requirement necessary to secure the adoption of an Irish made cloth as a sealed pattern is that it should stand the War Office tests. The suggestion that an inspection depot should be established in Ireland has been brought before the War Department, but they were unable to concur in it.
MR. T. M. HEALYAS you have established an Agricultural Department to enable Irish landlords to improve their position, why not have an Industrial Department to give the people a chance of earning wages? As the Dublin people pay £30,000 or £40,000 a year, they ought at least to have a chance of having the clothing made in Dublin.
§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)Are we to understand that the Royal Irish Constabulary are a branch of the War Office and under its control?
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURThe clothing contracts are.