§ MR. ROCHE (Galway, E.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that on the 2nd April Constable Fitzgerald, stationed at Aughrim, county Galway, used threatening and insulting I language on the public road toward the Rev. Father Coghlan, priest of the parish; whether, in the interest of the peace of the district, he will have him removed to some other district; and whether it is the practice of the constabulary authorities to leave constables stationed in the parish where they have married a parishioner; and, if not, why has this constable been retained in Aughrim.
§ MR. WALTER LONGA complaint to the effect stated was received by the Inspector-General, who found, on inquiry, that on the date in question the rev. gentleman, when publicly reading a list of subscriptions received from his parishioners, announced that the constable had not subscribed. The constable, who asserts that he had subscribed £1, subsequently met the rev. gentleman and spoke to him on the subject; but he emphatically denies having used the language attributed to him. On the contrary, he complains of the clergyman's language towards him. The matter does not call for any interference on the part of the Government. The regulations provide that a constable shall not be stationed in a county in which he or his wife have relatives. That provision has not been contravened in this case, and it is not proposed to remove the constable.
§ MR. ROCHEAs there is evidently a conflict of testimony will the right hon. Gentleman grant a sworn inquiry.
§ MR. WALTER LONGCertainly not, but if the hon. Member has any evidence he can furnish me with, I will look into it.
§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)Does the right hon. Gentleman intend to take any action with regard to the language used by the priest?
§ [No Answer was returned.]