§ MR. O'KELLY (Mayo, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the conduct of two constables of the Royal Irish Constabulary, Gumbleton and Roche, on the evening of January 28th, on the public road outside Belmullet, when they assaulted John 1183 Munnelly, and compelled him to walk up and down the public road for fifty yards to enable them to judge whether he was under the influence of drink; and when Munnelly escaped from the police pursued him and subsequently took him to the police barracks at Belmullet; whether, seeing that the charge made against Munnelly at the Belmullet Petty Sessions of having been under the influence of drink on the occasion in question was dismissed, he will order an inquiry into the whole matter; and will he consider the advisability of having these constables removed to another station.
(Answered by Mr. Walter Long.) Mr. Munnelly was arrested by the constables named for drunkenness while in charge of a horse, and he was also charged with assaulting Constable Gumbleton when being arrested. A counter charge of assault was brought by Mr. Munnelly against Constable Gumbleton. The magistrates dismissed the complaints on both sides, but expressed the opinion that Mr. Munnelly, though not drunk, was under the influence of drink when arrested. The question of holding a disciplinary inquiry into the matter will not be decided pending the result of a civil action which, it is stated, Mr. Munnelly is about to institute.