§ MR. KENDAL O'BRIENTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the distance which separates the three police barracks of Gurtderrybeg, Clonnakenny, and Timoney, in the barony of Ikerrin, Roscrea district, County Tipperary; whether he is aware 828 that the two first of these are in one parish, and less than three miles apart; and can he state what reason exists for the continuance of Gurtderrybeg barrack, seeing that it is intermediate between the other two; and, furthermore, seeing that these barracks are situated in the midst of extensive grazing lands, is it as a protection to the people who take these lands on the eleven months' system, or otherwise, that this force of police is kept in such close proximity.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) I am informed by the police authorities that each of the three police stations named is distant at least four miles from the nearer of the other two stations. Two of these stations are situated in the same parish, but the districts attached to them extend into six other parishes. The extent of country to be policed from the three stations is nearly fifty square miles, and each of the stations is considered necessary. It is the fact that these stations are situated in a grazing district, but they were established before any difficulty in connection with the grazing system arose, and are not specially retained for the protection of grazing tenants.