§ MR. O'MARA (Kilkenny, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, if any decision has yet been given by the Lord Lieutenant on the objections lodged against the election to the clerkship of petty sessions of Head Constable Kearney, Royal Irish Constabulary, which took place at Callan on the 14th February. Is a head constable serving in the force eligible for the position of clerk of petty sessions; what is the age limit in such a case; and what is the limit in the case of a retired head constable; and, will he say what age Head Constable Kearney has stated he is; and is this man still in active service in the Royal Irish Constabulary.
§ MR. ATKINSONThe reply to the first paragraph is in the negative. A head constable is eligible for election, but he must retire from the Constabulary before his appointment is confirmed. The limit of age in such a case, and also the case of a head constable who retires before the election, is 50 years. The age of Head Constable Kearney is 45. He has not vet retired from the Force.