§ 6. Sir J. BUTCHERasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what provision is 1643 now being made for members of the Royal Irish Constabulary who retired from the force before the recent disbandment and who have been driven from their homes in Ireland and forced to take refuge in England or Northern Ireland or elsewhere?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Sir Hamar Greenwood)Any such pensioner may apply for assistance to the Committee presided over by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Chelsea (Sir S. Hoare) with the assurance, that his application will be sympathetically considered. If he is still in Ireland, and requires assistance to leave that country, he should apply to the Assistant Under-Secretary in Dublin Castle, who will provide him with warrants for himself and his dependants and will advance him a sum of money and the Committee has informed the Assistant Under-Secretary that they will refund the cost of such warrants, and any advance up to £20. This is, of course, in addition to any assistance which the Committee may deem right to afford after the pensioner's arrival in this country.
§ Captain Viscount EDNAMHas the right hon. Gentleman taken steps to have these facts made known to the members of the Royal Irish Constabulary?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODThe Noble Lord knows that this refers only to Ireland and to ex-members of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and if the facts are not already known, I shall deem it my duty to make them known.
§ 7. Captain FOXCROFTasked the Chief Secretary whether the Irish Office have reconatnended the Treasury to grant a pension of £140 per annum to Patrick Taylor, ex-Royal Irish Constabulary, on the basis of 22 years' service in the Royal Irish Constabulary whether, at the same time, they recommend the deduction of £126 per annum of this pension on the ground that he has been granted a wound pension from the War Office; and whether, if this be so, he can state the reason for not paying these two pensions which Patrick Taylor has earned in two capacities?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODNo definite recommendation has yet been made in this ease, but I am most anxious to secure 1644 the highest possible pension for Mr. Taylor payable under the enactments applying to his case, and am in communication with the Treasury on the subject.
§ Sir J. BUTCHERIf a man has been wounded while in the Army and got a pension, will the right hon. Gentleman take care that his Army pension is not deducted from his Royal Irish Constabulary pension?
§ Captain FOXCROFTDoes the right hon. Gentleman know that men have been waiting for many months, and have had no answer whatever?
§ Sir H. GREENWOODI am not aware of that. The first I heard of this was yesterday. I will naturally see that Mr. Taylor gets the very maximum pension which by law he can possibly receive.