§ MR. O'MALLEY (Galway, Connemara)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the case of Constable Edward Robinson, now stationed at Letterfrack, Connemara, who married when he was only two-and-a-half years in the Royal Irish Constabulary, against constabulary regulations; whether he is aware that on the 30th May last, his wife reported him to the county inspector at Galway for neglecting to support her; that, on this constable's conduct being brought under the notice of the Inspector-General, he was merely reprimanded and removed to another district in the same county; whether an inquiry will be instituted with the view of compelling Constable Robinson to maintain his wife, having regard to the fact that the extreme penalty of dismissal has not been carried out in his case; and whether he will state why exceptional lenient punishment has been meted out to Robinson for this breach of the regulations.
§ MR. WYNDHAMOn the 30th May the wife of Constable Robinson wrote to the county inspector of Galway complaining that he would not apply to the authorities for leave to marry, although he had over ten years of service, but she made no complaint that the constable had neglected to support her. The constable at once admitted the fact that he had married without leave in 1896. Having regard to the excellence of his character for a number of years as testified to by his officers the Inspector-General refrained from recommending his discharge and dealt with his offence by giving him an unfavourable record and ordering his transfer. I am making 1360 inquiry into the statement in the Question that the constable has neglected to support his wife.