§ 16. Mr. PATRICK MEEHANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the burden of enforcing the Food Controller's Orders in Ireland is thrown on members of the Royal Irish Constabulary who, as a rule, previously acted as inspectors under the Food and Drugs Act; if these men have to perform their ordinary duties in addition to the new food control duties; if the food control duties are very laborious, involving the inspection constantly of all the business premises in the country, and these men do not receive one penny additional pay; if district inspectors have been allowed£1 per week, and 1s. per day for a clerk to assist them for any extra duty under the food control Orders; and whether it is intended to grant additional pay to the men on whose shoulders the real work in connection with carrying out food control Orders has been thrown?
§ Mr. SAMUELSThe duty of enforcing the Food Controller's Orders in Ireland rests with all members of the constabulary and no special duty in connection with the Orders has been imposed on the members of the force who act as inspectors under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1875. Each district inspector in charge of a dis- 1142 trict is the local executive officer of the Food Control Committee for Ireland, and as such has to perform duties in addition to his ordinary duties, for which he receives an allowance of£l a week. A grant of 1s. a day is allowed to a constable for acting as clerical assistant in carrying out the duties under the Food Controller's Orders. It is impracticable to grant additional allowances in respect of the carrying out of duties under the Food Orders by ordinary members of the force. As the hon. Member is aware, the Royal Irish Constabulary have recently received additional remuneration by way of an increased war bonus.
§ 17. Mr. P. MEEHANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the compulsory retirement of many non-commissioned officers and men in the Royal Irish Constabulary has created discontent in the force in view of the fact that these men, after faithful service, are now being discharged on pensions entirely inadequate to maintain themselves or their families; if as peace officers these men have been compelled to discharge duties incurring public odium and are thereby handicapped in obtaining employment in civil life; if it is intended to help these men by giving them an increased pension, by making the present war bonus pensionable, or by paying them a war bonus in addition to pension after retirement; and if he can arrange for the employment of all such pensioners in munition factories in the United Kingdom and facilitate the transfer of men resigning from the Royal Irish Constabulary on the grounds of insufficiency of pay to the better-paid police force in England without loss of service?
§ Mr. SAMUELSSixty non-commissioned officers and men of the Royal Irish Constabulary have been called on to retire on pension between now and 1st June. Half of them are over sixty years of age, and are considered, owing to age, infirmity, etc., not fully qualified to discharge arduous duties during the present juncture. The remainder are between fifty and sixty years of age, and are being retired for various reasons affecting the efficiency of the force. There is no reason to suppose that discontent will be caused in the force by these proposed retirements, as suggested in the question. The full pensions to which the men are entitled by rank and service will be granted. There is no power to award 1143 increased pensions in respect of the war bonus, nor to grant a war bonus in addition to pension after retirement. The Inspector-General will do everything he can to obtain suitable employment for worthy men whose services are dispensed with.