§ 15. Lieut. - Colonel ARCHER -SHEEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Royal Irish Constabulary mechanic-constables being dismissed at Gormanstown and other places are now receiving a month's notice before dismissal or equivalent compensation; and whether they are being given boat and railway warrants to their homes?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Colonel Sir Hamar Greenwood)Some of these men have left on termina- 388 tion of their contracts. Others whose original contracts are expiring are being retained at a month's notice, or a week's notice, according to circumstances. All temporary constables of the Royal Irish Constabulary receive, under the terms of their contract, a bounty of £25 at the expiration of a year's service and those who are being discharged on termination of contract are entitled to travelling expenses to their homes. In a few cases men receiving the bounty were discharged without prepayment of fares. These omissions are being rectified.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ARCHER-SHEEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that when these men were enlisted about a year ago they were told that they would be allowed to re-engage at the end of 12 months for another 12 months' service? Is he aware that that definite offer has been broken, as they were then told that they would be on monthly contracts, and even that has been reduced now to one week's notice? Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that to turn these men out at a week's notice is treating them very badly, in view of the fact that if any railway company treated its employés like that there would be a general strike, and quite right too?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe hon. and gallant Member has made several allegations, and I deny the accuracy of every one of them. I am doing my best to treat these gallant men as generously as I can within the law, and within the terms of their contract.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ARCHER-SHEEDoes the right hon. Gentleman deny that until I asked him questions about these men they were being sent home without railway warrants?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODA few were sent off through an inadvertence, but that mistake has been corrected.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ARCHER-SHEEThere were 19 sent off in that way.
§ Sir H. GREENWOODYes, and I am profoundly sorry the mistake occurred. I appreciate my hon. and gallant Friend's interest in the matter.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ARCHER-SHEEDoes he deny that these men were definitely offered the chance of taking on again for another 12 months at the end of their 12 389 months' contract, that that was altered to a month, and then to a week's contract?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODYes, I do deny it.
§ Mr. GWYNNEWill the right hon. Gentleman make inquiries and bring pressure to bear to see that these men are not handicapped in this way after having served their country?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI have not heard that they have been handicapped in the way referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend. On the contrary, I have information to the very opposite effect.