§ MR. SLOANTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, seeing that there are in all ranks of the Dublin Metropolitan Police Force 995 Roman Catholics and only 195 Protestants, including thirty-four Presbyterians and seven Methodists, he will recommend the advisability to cease recruiting Roman Catholics until a reasonable proportion of Protestants are taken on; and, if not, can any reason be assigned for not doing so.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Chief Commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police informs me that, in recruiting for the force, no preference is given to men of any particular relgiious belief. The comparative paucity of Protestants is simply due to the fact that few candidates other than Roman Catholics present themselves. It is neither possible nor desirable to make any change in the method of recruiting.