§ 14. Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked whether there is now not a single cadet company for the training of officers in Ireland; if so, who is responsible for this state of affairs; and what opportunity at present exists for training young Irish men anxious to serve as officers during the period of the War?
§ Mr. TENNANTFacilities exist for preliminary training in Ireland in the various contingents of the Officers' Training Corps. It is the case that there is no cadet unit for training candidates for commissions in Ireland.
§ 15. Mr. WHITEasked the Under-Secretary whether he was aware that young Irishmen were induced to join the Cadet Company of the 7th Battalion Leinster Regiment, recently known as the Cadet Company of the 5th (Reserve) Leinsters, for training as officers, and that during the last few days this Cadet Company has been disbanded and the young men in question were told by their commanding officer that they must become ordinary privates in the Leinster or other regiments; whether information has reached him that such a breach of faith on the part of the War Dffice will prove detrimental to recruiting in Ireland; and whether he will state the name of the officer responsible for the disbandment of the cadet company?
§ Mr. TENNANTI understand that the members of the Cadet Company of the 7th Battalion Leinster Regiment have always been enlisted as ordinary privates and without any guarantee of commissions being given. The battalion has now proceeded abroad and those left behind have 869 been given the option of serving with the 10th Commercial Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers or the Farmers' Platoon, 5th Leinster Regiment, and with other companies of the 5th Leinsters. The status of those who were in the Cadet Company has not been altered; they are still eligible to be granted commissions if recommended as being suitable after passing through the necessary course of training. I do not think there is anything in what has occurred which should, if rightly understood, prove detrimental to recruiting in Ireland.