§ 2. Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland in how many eases since the 10th August, 1866, the widows and children of deceased contributors to the Irish Constabulary Force Fund have been paid out of that, fund less than their respective contributors have paid into it; and, since the refusal to close and distribute the fund is claimed to be in the interest of the wives and children of contributors, whether he will have a vote of the wives taken on the question of immediate distribution?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell)The Inspector-General assures me that there has never been a case in which a widow has received from the fund less than her husband subscribed. As I have already stated, the grant can only be less than the amount subscribed when the subscriber only leaves unmarried daughters over eighteen years of age and no widow. I cannot say how many cases of the kind have occurred in the last forty-seven years.
§ 3 and 15. Mr. GINNELLasked (1) if the system of paying and promoting members of the Royal Irish Constabulary in proportion to criminal results, which produced agents provocateurs like Sergeant Sheridan, has been discontinued, at what date and by whose order; whether Sheridan was subsequently convicted of having himself maimed cattle and got a man named M'Goohan imprisoned for three years for that offence; what reparation was made to M'Goohan or his family; what was the total amount of public money paid to and for Sheridan while in the force, and how much of that money belonged to the Irish Constabulary Force Fund; what is the aggregate amount paid out of that fund for special services; and, such services not being among the purposes of the fund, whether that aggregate will be restored to the fund; and (2) under what designation were recorded payments made for the special services rendered by Sergeant Sheridan and men of his class, whether in the police force or outside it; and from what sources the money was obtained?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAs regards the case of Sheridan and M'Goohan, I have nothing to add to the statement made by Mr. Wyndham in Debate on the 10th July, 1902. No system of paying and promoting members of the Royal Irish Constabulary in proportion to criminal results ever existed. Sheridan, while in the constabulary, received the pay and allowances of his rank and also a total sum of £6 10s. from the reward branch of the Constabulary Force Fund. The constabulary authorities know of no other case in which rewards were paid to a man who was afterwards proved to have procured crime. No payments have been made from the fund except as rewards for meritorious services, bounties, pensions, or allowances, as authorised by Statute.
§ Mr. GINNELLDoes the right hon. Gentleman deny that Sheridan was paid £5 for having accused a person of a crime committed by Sheridan himself?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe circumstances of Sheridan's case are perfectly well known to the House. The total award he ever received, and most atrociously, amounted to the sum of £6 10s.
§ Mr. GINNELLDid he not receive £5 for this case?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIf he did, it was not because he was himself supposed to be 564 provocative of the crime, but in complete ignorance of the circumstances.
§ Mr. GINNELLSince the actuary cannot discover these cases, will he allow the accounts of this fund to be examined until it is ascertained by some independent person how much was paid out for the manufacture of crime?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAll that Sheridan received was £6 10s., and there is no case for any inquiry.
§ Mr. GINNELLThat is a mere assertion.
§ Mr. BIRRELLIt is a fact.
§ 7. Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will state the amount paid out of the Irish Constabulary Force Fund to men of Sergeant Sheridan's class who procured the murder of Mrs. Smythe, of Barbavilla, Westmeath, and the conviction and penal servitude of men since found to have been innocent of that crime; what reparation has been made to these men's families; and whether, in view of beliefs of this character held by contributors to that fund with reference to the administration of it, his promised statement will be issued before the close of the present Session?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThere is not a shadow of foundation for the outrageous insinuation that this terrible murder was instigated by the police with a view to obtaining rewards; nor is there the slightest ground for suggesting that any of the persons convicted of complicity in the conspiracy to murder Mrs. Smythe were innocent. I have no reason to suppose that any contributor to the Constabulary Force Fund shares a belief which, if really entertained by the hon. Member is, I am sure, peculiar to himself.
§ Mr. GINNELLWill the Chief Secretary allow the accounts to be examined for this particular period when this particular crime was committed?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo, Sir.
§ Mr. GINNELLOf course not.