§ 82. Mr. BYRNEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will take steps to see that Irishmen who arc compelled to leave home to take employment in Great Britain will not be interfered with by the military authorities; if Irishmen who were supplied with their fares by their friends in order to travel to Great Britain when on larding were informed that they were liable to conscription if they remained for fourteen days, and were refused employment or exemption cards by the Labour Exchanges, the reasons given being that they paid their own fares and were not sent by the Labour Exchange; and if he is aware of the trouble given to Irishmen at Kilmarnock and South Wales?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI have no knowledge of the matters referred to in the hon. Member's question, but if he will supply particulars of specific cases, I will have inquiries made. In any case of refusal of employment or exemption cards by the Employment Exchanges, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour would be pleased to investigate the matter. I must refer tie hon. Member to the answer which I gave, to him on the 7th March, and remind him that where an Irishman already in "Great Britain is engaged in one of the employments specified in the arrangement between the War Office and the Board of Trade, he may, if continuing in such employment or if placed by an Employment Exchange in similar employment, be furnished with a card as evidence that he is excepted from the liability to military service if the Employment Exchange has ascertained that he is ordinarily resident in Ireland, and it is not, therefore, understood why any difficulty such as that referred to in the hon. Member's question should have occurred.