§ Mr. LUNDONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if the Irish Government and the Irish military authorities rely upon the reports of the constabulary as regards the state of Ireland; whether 90 per cent. of the county inspectors of police are of a different religious persuasion; whether he is aware that they are known to be politically hostile to masses of the Irish people; and if care will be taken that the reports submitted by them will be carefully looked into?
§ Mr. DUKEThe reports of the constabulary are only one of the means of information at the disposal of the Government. I have no reason to suppose that county inspectors who happen to be of a different religious persuasion to that of the majority of the Irish people are influenced by partisanship in their reports, but all such reports are, of course, read with care, and a display of partisanship in a report would not fail to receive attention.