§ MR. MAURICE HEALYI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a vacancy has arisen in the position of barrack master at the Royal Irish Constabulary depot; whether he can state how many, and what proportion of, staff appointments in the Royal Irish Constabulary are held by Roman Catholics; and whether, in view of the small number of such appointments held by Roman Catholics, the present vacancy created by the retirement of a Roman Catholic will be filled by a Roman Catholic.
§ MR. G. W. BALFOURThe answer to the first paragraph is in the affirmative. Of the officers' staff at the Constabulary I depot, the adjutant, musketry instructor, veterinary surgeon, police instructor, and the medical assistant to the surgeon are Roman Catholics. The commandant, riding master, and surgeon are Protestants. The officer selected to fill the vacancy in the barrack mastership has been chosen from among the senior district inspectors as being the best qualified for the office and as having the strongest claims by police service for the appointment, irrespective of religion. He is a Protestant.