§ Mr. JOHN MURPHYasked the right hon. Gentleman if any inquiry has been made into the complaints made against Sergeant Long, of Patrickswell, county Limerick; Constable McCormack, Abbey-dornay, county Kerry; Constables Drum and Greany, of Castleisland, county Kerry; and Constable Doyle, of Cordal, county Kerry, at the recent eviction of Mr. Walsh, at Cordal, county Kerry; and what has been the result?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe constabulary authorities tell me that no formal complaints have been preferred against these men. Some observations with regard to the 1651 action of certain members of the force were made to the officers in charge at the eviction, but they assure me that nothing was done by the police in excess of their duty. I am not aware of anything in the matter calling for inquiry.
§ Mr. H. BELLOCIs there no way of getting the other side of the question at all?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThere are no doubt two sides to every question, but I have had very full reports of all the proceedings on this occasion, and I have no ground for thinking the police have in any way exceeded their duty.
§ Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDIn view of the great interest which has been aroused in this matter, and in view of the fact that there is considerable conflict of evidence as to what the action of the police really was, will the right hon. Gentleman, even in the interests of the police themselves, as well as everybody else, order an impartial and fair inquiry into the whole matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo; I am perfectly satisfied, were I to do so, that whenever the services of the police were called into requisition on such occasions, an inquiry would be at once demanded.
§ Mr. MacNEILLIs the right hon. Gentleman, after his experience of the Irish Acts, prepared to take every word of a policeman as Gospel truth?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo; I am not prepared to take anybody's word.
§ Mr. MURPHYIs the right hon. Gentlemen aware that I reported Sergeant Long myself for having struck the vice-chairman of the Tralee Board of Guardians, a district remote from where the disturbance took place, and is not that sufficient to induce him to do something better than take a policeman's answer?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI have already informed the hon. Member that I have had a full report of the whole proceedings; and, after careful review, I am quite satisfied the police did their best under difficult and trying circumstances.
§ Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDIf these circumstances had taken place in this country, would an English Member have been refused?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a hypothetical question.