§ MR. MEEHAN (Queen's County, Leix)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware if it is part of the duty of the police in Ireland to herd the cattle on the lands occupied by planters and eleven-months men; can he say in what parts of Queen's County this duty has been imposed on the police; how many police are engaged on this work in the sub-district of Ballinakill; and will the services of the police be given generally to the farmers whose cattle may break fence and stray from their owner's land.
§ MR. BIRRELLIt is not the duty of the police to act as herdsmen, and the police authorities inform me that the police have not been so employed in Queen's County or elsewhere. In the sub-district of Ballinakill police patrols have from time to time visited a farm from which the cattle had been driven. In so doing the police were performing 967 their ordinary duty of giving protection I where it is needed.
§ MR. DELANYasked if he could have the assistance of a few Royal Irish Constabulary to look after his cattle?
§ MR. BIRRELLI am afraid not.