82. Major NEWMANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has any further information relative to the recent deplorable murder and wounding of members of the Royal Irish Constabulary at Knockalong Railway Station; and is be further able to announce that, in view of the dangerous position in which members of both Irish police forces are at present acting, officers and men if wounded or disabled, and the dependents of those killed in the execution of their duty, will receive the same, or better, pensions and gratuities as if they had been disabled or killed in action by the enemy?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Macpherson)No further in- 39 formation is available with regard to this deplorable outrage. I regret very much to say that Sergeant Wallace, who was severely wounded on the occasion, has since died. Constable Ring, who disappeared at the time of the attack, turned up next day. There is no intention of placing the Royal Irish Constabulary, with respect to injury pensions or widows' pensions, in the same position as soldiers who have been disabled or killed in action. The Constabulary Acts, however, provide for the grant of pensions to officers and men who are disabled in the execution of their duty, and, by the Constabulary Act of 1918, an increased pension is provided for widows of men who die, with an addition for the widows of men who are killed in the execution of their duty. The recent Criminal Injuries (Ireland) Act, which was passed the other day to meet cases of this sort, also provides for compensation being awarded in such cases.
Major NEWMANDoes that mean, with all these various additions to pensions and so on, the rate is as good or better than in the case of a soldier dying on active service?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI think it is better.