HC Deb 24 February 1916 vol 80 cc786-8
8. Sir JOHN LONSDALE

asked if the Congested Districts Board will ascertain how many of the 2,500 men in casual employment upon their works are of military age and issue instructions that, having regard to the urgent need for recruits for Irish reserve battalions, employment under the Board shall be restricted to men who are not eligible for military service?

Mr. BIRRELL

To ascertain the information referred to in the first part of the question will involve a census on some particular day of the men employed by the Congested Districts Board on their works. The advisability of taking such a census and issuing the instructions suggested by the hon. Member will be considered by that Board at their next meeting, which will be held on the 14th March.

Sir J. LONSDALE

Will it be considered by the Congested Districts Board?

Mr. BIRRELL

Yes.

9. Sir J. LONSDALE

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will state for each of the counties of Ireland the number of men who have enlisted in the Army and in the Navy since the outbreak of the War, and the number of men of military age still remaining?

Mr. BIRRELL

It is not considered to be in the public interest that the recruiting figures for Ireland should be given in greater detail than they were in the Lord Lieutenant's Report of the 14th January. According to the returns furnished by the police, the numbers of men who have enlisted in the Army and the Navy since the outbreak of war up to the 15th instant are as follows:

Army. Navy. Total.
Ulster 50,515 1,397 51,912
Leinster 27,816 1,370 29,186
Munster 14,458 732 15,190
Connaught 3,741 198 3,939

An estimate, based on the National Register, of the numbers of men of military age still remaining is as follows:—

Ulster … … … 159,640
Leinster … … … 167,492
Munster … … … 133,237
Connaught … … … 80,330

10. Sir J. LONSDALE

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that the figures supplied in the Lord Lieutenant's recent Report on recruiting in Ireland were incomplete and referred only to Infantry; and if he will state how many men have been raised in Ulster, additional to Infantry, for the Royal Army Medical Corps, Divisional Train, Royal Engineers, Cavalry Squadron, Cyclists, etc., connected with the Ulster Division, and how many men were enlisted in Ireland for the corresponding units of the 10th and 16th Divisions?

Mr. BIRRELL

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and I have no sources of information which would enable me to give the figures asked for in the second part.

Sir J. LONSDALE

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that it has been publicly stated since that the figures which were given in the White Paper issued by the Lord Lieutenant only contained the numbers regarding Infantry regiments, and did not include the Cavalry?

Mr. BIRRELL

I say that is not right.