§ MR. JOHN O'DONNELLTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the regulations issued to the police prohibiting them from attending railway stations in Ireland have been observed by the inspectors in charge of that force; and, if not, whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into their action, with a view to having the men who discharge no other than railway station duty put to some other work.
(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.) The regulations prohibit the attendance of the police at railway stations unless they are specially ordered to be present by reason of the importance of the station, or some emergency necessitating their attendance. For these reasons it would not be possible to give the Return of which notice stands in the name of the 719 hon. Member on to-day's Paper. I am inquiring whether the regulations in this respect have been uniformly observed.
§ The Return referred to is as follows:—
§ Return showing the names of railway stations in Ireland that are considered of sufficient importance to necessitate the presence of policemen on duty in or near them; the names of stations in Ireland where arrests were made since the 27th April, 1903; and the names of stations where the station-master was forced to call in the aid of the police to prevent breaches of the peace or capture criminals.