§ Mr. HAYDENasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the county council of Roscommon has made repeated protests against the amounts charged in the constabulary accounts for the removal of prisoners, for which recoupment has been obtained from the ratepayers of the county, and that as recent instances the county council have drawn attention to the charge of £15 for a brake and two cars for the conveyance of prisoners from Bally-gill to Ballinasloe, a distance of 4½ miles, £2 for two cars from Kilbarry to Stokes-town, a distance of 13 miles, and for subsistence and cycling allowance to 13 policemen on the same occasion amounting to £5 2s. 2d.; and whether there is any method of putting a check upon the Royal Irish Constabulary in regard to matters of this kind?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am aware that the county council have expressed dissatisfaction with the charges contained in the constabulary claims furnished to them. In the first of the two cases referred to in the question, £15 was paid for two cars and a brake for the conveyance of 11 prisoners and their escort from Ballygill to Ballinasloe. The double distance was nine miles. The car owner would not go for a less sum, and no one else would undertake the duty. In the second case 985W 12 prisoners had to be conveyed 13 miles. The police could only obtain two cars for hire at a cost of £1 each for the double journey of 26 miles, which is not an unreasonable charge. Four police transport cars had also to be used, for which no charge was made against the county council. The constabulary authorities inform me that the circumstances of the case rendered the road escort of 13 police cyclists absolutely necessary.