§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the Chief Secretary whether, in dealing with the cost of the Royal Irish Constabulary, Ireland as a whole is treated as a single entity; whether charges have been made on counties into which the free force of another county has been drafted for temporary purposes; if so, whether such charges were made upon his authority, as one of the chief governors of Ireland; and whether he will explain why Irish ratepayers are saddled with a charge which has hitherto been borne by the Consolidated Fund in the days of former Governments?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Vote for the Royal Irish Constabulary is taken for a force as a whole, and not county by county. Charges have been made against counties, under the authority of section 6 of the Constabulary (Ireland) Act, 1848, in respect of the services of police drafted into them from the free force of other counties. The charges fixed by that Act have, as I am informed, been made against the counties concerned by every Government since the passing of the Act.