§ MR. NANNETTI (Dublin, College Green)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will state how many members of the Dublin metropolitan police force were employed at Punchestown races on Tuesday 22nd, and Wednesday, 23rd April, and at Leopardstown races on Friday 25th, and Saturday, 26th April; what remuneration they received; whether this remuneration is in addition to the ordinary remuneration paid by the ratepayers of the city of Dublin; and, if so, whether he will cause inquiry to be made as to the feasibility of recommending that this duty in future shall be performed by the Royal Irish Constabulary, and also of recommending the reduction of the strength of the Dublin police force by the number of men employed on this particular class of duty at various periods during the year.
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. ATKINSON,)—(for Mr. WYNDHAM) Londonderry, N.Sixty-six men were employed at Punchestown, and twenty-nine at Leopardstown. They received no remuneration in addition to their ordinary pay, but their travelling expenses and cost of subsistence were defrayed by the Race Committee. It is not proposed to substitute the constabulary for the Dublin metropolitan police on this duty, for the obvious reason that the vast majority of the crowd, including the criminal element, which attend such meetings, come from Dublin. No inconvenience is caused to the city by the temporary absence from it of the small force employed on these occasions. The reply to the concluding inquiry is in the negative.