§ MR. SLOANTo ask the Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether any, and if so, what steps have been taken against Constable Thomas M'Govern, of the Royal Irish Constabulary, now stationed at Athenry, county Galway, who on examination at Clonmel Assizes on 8th instant, in a case of alleged embezzlement against Sergeant Kearney, committed perjury in swearing that he knew and identified two women who were alleged to have paid Kearney certain sums of money, the amounts of fishery fines, while Constable M'Govern previously swore at Carrick-on-Suir Petty Sessions, on 28th March last, that he did not know and could not identify the two women, although he saw them in court and heard them giving evidence.
§ (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Inspector-General informs me that there was a slight discrepancy between the evidence given by Constable M'Govern at petty sessions and that subsequently given by him at assizes, but there is no sufficient ground for suggesting that he was guilty of wilful and corrupt perjury. Upon cross-examination at assizes the constable fully explained the reasons for the variation in his evidence. It is not intended to take any action against the constable.