Captain CRAIGasked the Chief Secretary whether it has been brought to his notice that the operation of the existing rule which debars Royal Irish Constabulary men who have passed in the P list from going up for examination after forty-five years of age has excluded some of the best men in the service from obtaining proper recognition and promotion; and whether there is any and, if so, what objection to extending this age limit to forty-eight years, which is the age UD to which a head constable can by seniority and without reference to literary qualifications compete for district inspectorship?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe system of filling a proportion of the vacancies in the rank of district inspector by competition amongst head constables on the P list was introduced in January, 1895. The limit of age for candidates was then fixed at forty-two years, but in June, 1900, it was raised to forty-five years. This rule has up to the present worked satisfactorily. The competitive system was instituted in order to enable comparatively young and active head constables to attain the rank of district inspector. Having regard to the fact that district inspectors may be retired at sixty years of age, and that active men are required to fill the office, the police authorities consider that forty-eight years is too high a limit to fix. Under the present rule a sufficient number of eligible candidates have always been available. It is possible that some good men are prevented by the age limit from obtaining promotion, but this applies equally to the men on the seniority list, who are eligible until the age of forty-eight.