ROYAL IRISH CONSTABULARY BILL.—(No. 255.) (Hansard, 15 August 1882)

§ LORD CARLINGFORD (LORD PRIVY SEAL),
in moving that the Bill be now read a second time, said, the Bill had come up from the House of Commons. The Bill was in the interest of the officers of the Royal Irish Constabulary, with whom alone it dealt, and its object was to improve the pay and pensions of those individuals. Their allowance, as well as the allowances of the men, had already been dealt with; but for the purpose of increasing their pay and pensions it was necessary that an Act should be passed. The measure also proposed a scheme of compulsory retirement, to be applied to the officers of the Constabulary, which was similar to the scheme in force amongst officers in the Army. The subject had been carefully 1798 inquired into, and this Bill was the result.

THE EARL OF DONOUGHMORE
said, he did not rise to object to the Bill, but to ask whether the position of the chief medical officers of the Force had been brought under the notice of the Government, and whether they would come under the operation of the Bill?

§ LORD CARLINGFORD (LORD PRIVY SEAL)
said, the point had been brought to his notice a short time ago; but he was informed that the House of Lords would have no power to include any other officer in the Bill, as that would imply an official character. He had been told that the question had been raised in the House of Commons, and considered by the Irish Government; but they did not see their way to include in the benefits of the Bill any other officers.