§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if Sergeant Crummy and Constable O'Shea of the New Quay police station, county Clare, were reported to District Inspector Hildebrand, of Ballyvaughan, for drinking and distributing drink on licensed premises on the 5th of last August, that, being Sunday; is he aware that these charges were supported by several independent witnesses in writing, and signed in the presence of the said district inspector; and will an inquiry be held.
§ (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) A complaint to the effect stated was made to District Inspector Hildebrand, who fully investigated the matter and took statements from a large number of persons. Several of these supported the complaint, but the majority disproved it. The facts were fully reported to the Inspector-General, who was satisfied that there were no grounds for taking further action. The misconduct of the police was alleged to have taken place in August, while the complaint was not made till November, immediately after the person who complained and two of his supporters had been convicted for drunkenness and assaulting Constable; O'Shea.