§ Mr. J. P. FARRELLasked the number of extra police now serving in county Longford; how many of these have been drawn from other counties in which they only made up the quota in these counties, and were these replaced by other men; and whether he will explain why a peaceful district, such as county Longford is now and always has been, is required to maintain an army of extra police there, and charge their cost to the county, whilst draining them from other counties to which they are properly chargeable, and which receive no relief from the charge when so absent?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe number of extra police now serving in the county of Longford is twenty-four. This additional force was appointed to the county when the last statutory redistribution of the police took place in 1909, and they do not belong to other counties. A moiety of the cost of this extra force is charged to the county at large. The present state of the county does not admit of any reduction in that number.