§ 39. Mr. FIELDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland when the war bonus is to be announced and paid to the Irish prison officers?
§ Mr. DUKEThe question of the application to prison officers of the additional grants authorised by the recent Treasury circular is being dealt with. I am not yet in a position to make an announcement.
§ Mr. FIELDDoes the right hon. Gentleman expect soon to be in a position to do it, because it has been under consideration for a very long time?
§ Mr. DUKEThis part of the matter has only been under consideration since the issue of a very recent circular. I do not think there has been any delay under the circumstances.
§ Mr. SCANLANIs the right hon. Gentleman, aware that there is great dissatisfaction amongst prison officials in Ireland caused by the dilatory manner in which their grievances have been treated by the Government?
§ Mr. DUKENo, I am not aware that the prison officers take any exceptional view of their treatment.
§ Mr. SCANLANDoes the right hon. Gentleman not know that prison officers are prohibited by their rules from forming any association, and that they can only make their grievances felt through their representatives in Parliament, and has the right hon. Gentleman not been asked to see several deputations to present their views on occasions when he himself acknowledged that the grievances were really well-founded?
§ Mr. SCANLANNo.
§ Mr. SCANLANCertainly not.