§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that frivolous and vexatious prosecutions have been undertaken by the sergeants in the Royal Irish Constabulary of county Sligo following upon an order recently given by the county inspector of the Royal Irish Constabulary of Sligo to the sergeants under his jurisdiction requiring them to display in the form of a report the number of their prosecutions for each quarter; whether his attention has been called to the resolution of the Sligo County Council in which they unanimously protest against this order; and whether, in view of this representation, and of the whole circumstances, he will insist on the immediate recall of this order, and introduce a Bill to supersede the Royal Irish Constabulary by a civic police force responsible to the local authority?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIt is not a fact that frivolous and vexatious prosecutions have been undertaken by sergeants of the Royal Irish Constabulary in county Sligo in consequence of the order given by the county inspector that a note should be kept of the number of prosecutions instituted by the police in the county. The county inspector wished to have an accurate record of the prosecutions instituted in each sub-division under his command, but, as his order was liable to be misinterpreted, it is understood that on further272W consideration he is taking steps to withdraw it. The answer to the last paragraph of the question is in the negative.