Mr. NUGENTasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the practice hitherto followed in the Dublin 1586W Metropolitan Police Force of calling up station-sergeants in batches of ten for the qualifying examination for the position of inspector had recently been departed from, and that instead of ten only five were now called up at a time; if he will state why this departure from the usual practice followed has been made; and if he is aware that the feeling in the force is that this change has been made in older to secure the promotion to the rank of inspector of a predominating number of men of a different religious persuasion to, the majority of the members of the force?
§ Mr. DUKEThe number of station sergeants called up for promotion varies according to the needs of the police force, and has no relation to the religious persuasion of the candidates. There is no record of a batch of as many as ten having been called up for the qualifying examination for the rank of inspector.
Mr. NUGENTasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that in the Dublin Metropolitan Police Force for many years past a rule or custom has been observed of allowing the men to elect the constable whom they wished to be responsible for and take charge of the mess; whether in the F Division recently an election of this kind was postponed and men transferred to that division from other stations so that the nominee of the superintendent might be elected; and whether, in view of this interference with the rights and privileges of the men and its effect upon discipline in the force, he proposes to take any action in the matter?
§ Mr. DUKEThe Chief Commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police informs me that no election for the position of mess-man has been postponed in the "F" Division.
Mr. NUGENTasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the only charge made by the Dublin Metropolitan police authorities for the services of members of the force at race meetings prior to May, 1916, was 7s. per day for each inspector and 3s. 6d. per day for each sergeant or constable; whether the whole of this money, when received from the committee in charge of the meetings, was handed over to the officers and men who were on duty at the races as subsistence, allowance and to cover the cost of locomotion from the city; whether from May, 1916, to December, 1917, this charge was increased to 18s. per day for each inspector 1587W and 10s. 2d. per day for each sergeant and constable, and that from the latter date a charge of £1 0s. 4d. per day for each inspector and 11s. 10d. for each sergeant and constable so employed has been made; whether he is aware that notwithstanding these increases the subsistence allowance of 3s. 6d. per day paid to the men has not been increased; and will he state why these increased charges have been made and to what purpose is the extra money so received applied?
§ Mr. DUKEIt was formerly the practice to make no Departmental charge for the services of police employed at race meetings, as this work was nominally performed by the police in their own time. The Race Committee paid the men concerned a subsistence allowance of 3s. 6d. to sergeants and constables, and 5s. to inspectors, and defrayed their travelling expenses. In 1916 it was brought to the notice of the Chief Commissioner of the Dublin Metropolitan Police that in actual practice the citizens lost the services of the men so employed for the whole day in question, and it appeared to him that, in addition to subsistence allowance payable to the men, a charge should be made at the usual rate for services of police lent to private persons, etc. The Race Committee agreed to this proposal, and the practice has been in operation since May, 1916. The rate for lending the services of the police was formerly 6s. 8d. per diem for sergeants and constables, and 11s. for inspectors. Since the 10th December, 1917, it has been increased to 8s. 4d. for sergeants and constables, and 13s. 4d. for inspectors, but there has been no change in subsistence allowances paid by the Race Committee to the men. The charge for the loan of the police is lodged to the credit of the appropriations in aid of the Dublin Metropolitan Police Department. I am informed that the duties performed Are light, and the rate of subsistence allowance in many cases is in excess of that authorised for men employed for similar periods on public service. The propriety of permitting the Dublin Metropolitan Police to attend for duty at race meetings outside the Metropolitan police area is at present under consideration.
Mr. NUGENTasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Superintendent Murphy, of the Dublin Metropolitan Police Forte, has recently removed three constables from special traffic duty on which they-had been placed 1588W because they had not instituted the required number of summonses; and if he will state how constables can be required to institute summonses if offences are not committed to justify them?
§ Mr. DUKEThree young constables were placed on special traffic duty during the temporary employment of the regular traffic constables in connection with the issue of sugar cards. The substitutes reverted to ordinary duty when the traffic constables again became available. The suggestion in the latter portion of the question is unfounded.
Mr. NUGENTasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether Superintendent Kiernan, of the Dublin Metropolitan Police, has issued instructions to the sergeants in his division that they should take steps to deal with and report those constables of the force who did not cause to be issued a certain number of summonses every month; whether it is with the consent of the Chief Commissioner that sergeants are ordered to force men to bring summonses in this way for frivolous charges where the circumstances do not justify such action, merely in order that a certain number may be recorded as having been issued every month?