§ MR. PATRICK WHITE (Meath, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether it came to the knowledge of Inspector Dunne of the Dublin Metropolitan Police some time back that Staff-Sergeant Scully, who has since absconded, had contracted large debts with butchers for meat supplied to the mess; if the superintendent arranged with the sergeant before he went away that the latter should pay the debt by instalments; how many payments were made in this way, and what amount remains unpaid; whether this system of discharging debts incurred for the benefit of the mess is in accordance with the rules of the force; if these circumstances were brought under the notice of the Chief Commissioner of Police before he made his Report, upon the recommendation of which the Treasury refunded Inspector Dunne a considerable sum of money, and, if not, will the Chief Commissioner institute an inquiry into the methods introduced by Inspector Dunne, who has also recently denied to the men under his control the privilege so long enjoyed of electing the man they thought best qualified to take charge of the mess, and appointed a man of his own selection; whether, in consequence, 1964 the cost to the men has considerably increased without any corresponding advantage in the fare; and whether any of the increased expenditure is levied to pay off the old debt by instalments as agreed upon with the sanction of Inspector Dunne.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Chief Commissioner informs me, on the authority of Superintendent Dunne, that there is no foundation for the suggestions contained in the first part of the Question. An allegation was made to the superintendent that ex-Staff Sergeant Scully was not paying his mess accounts regularly, but on examination the superintendent found that all accounts had been paid and vouched for. There was, therefore, no occasion for the superintendent making arrangements that any debt should be paid by instalments and there were no irregularities to bring, under the notice of the Chief Commissioner. The superintendent has not interfered with the selection by the men of one of their own number to take charge of the mess. The cost of the mess has considerably decreased since the appointment of a new messman on 1st instant.