§ SIR WALTER NUGENT (Westmeath, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland what was the free apportionment of police for the county Westmeath, prior to fixing same at 190 men in May, 1906; what was the basis on which the reduction was made, and why the original free allotment should 695 not be restored when more men were required; where the extra police at present in the county Westmeath were drafted from; if from the number allotted free to other counties, will he explain why they are not to be credited with cost of same; and if they have been drawn from the reserve at Dublin, why are they not paid from Imperial funds, as they would be if retained in Dublin.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe free quota of police for the county of Westmeath was 235 men for the three years prior to May, 1906, when it was fixed at 190, under the authority of Section 1 of the Act, 48 Vic. cap. 12. No change in the free quota can be made until the end of the period of three years fixed by the Act. When the county was proclaimed under the Constabulary (Ireland) Act, 1836, detachments were serving in it drawn from the following counties: Cork fifteen, Kilkenny two, Mayo twelve, Waterford five, Wexford eight, Wicklow three. These detachments became by virtue of the proclamation and warrant an additional establishment under the Act, and ceased to belong to the counties from which they had been drawn. Steps were then taken to fill up the vacancies thus created in the counties named. As counties are not required to pay any part of the cost of their normal police force they are not entitled to any credit or payment in respect of men temporarily absent.