Mr. JOHN EDWARD GORDONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if it is proposed to set any limit to the time during which the British taxpayer shall continue to pay the sum of one and a half millions a year for the maintenance of the Royal Irish Constabulary?
§ Mr. HERBERT SAMUELIt is incorrect to say that the British taxpayer now pays, or will pay, the cost of the maintenance of the Royal Irish Constabulary. The revenue derived from Ireland pays for seven-eighths of the cost of the Government of Ireland, and on this proportion the Irish taxpayer is paying £1,204,000, and the British taxpayer £172,000, toward the cost of the Royal Irish Constabulary. Whatever deficit is now borne, or will be borne, by the British taxpayer for this or other Irish purposes, will be automatically reduced by any increase in the yield of Irish taxes due to any cause other than the imposition of taxation by the Irish Parliament.
§ Mr. BARNSTONasked the Chief Secretary (1) if he is aware that large numbers of officers and men of the Royal Irish Constabulary desire the right to retire at their own option during the period of six years elapsing between the passing of the Act and the transfer of the control of the force to the Irish Executive, on the terms usual 1822W on abolition of service; if he proposes to grant them facilities for doing so; if so, whether he will at an early date announce the terms upon which retirement of this character will be allowed; and (2) whether he proposes that, as the members of the Royal Irish Constabulary did not enlist with the prospect in view of serving under an Irish Executive, they should be given the full opportunity of leaving the force with the compensation usually given when an office is abolished?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAs regards these two questions, I would ask the hon. Member to await the issue of the Amendments to the provisions of the Government of Ireland Bill relating to the police force, which I expect to put down at an early date.
§ Mr. BARNSTONasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware than in county Armagh there are fifteen policemen per 10,000 population, in Antrim and Down there are twelve policemen per 10,000 population, and in Clare and Galway there are forty-eight policemen per 10,000 population; what special conditions in Clare and Galway necessitate the presence of one policeman for every 208 inhabitants; whether any provisions in the Government of Ireland Bill ensure a continuance of adequate police protection in Clare and Galway after the constabulary have been transferred at the end of six years; and, if not, whether he is prepared to insert Amendments providing for such police protection, or whether he will convey to persons at present protected the information that they will have to look to an Irish Executive to protect them in the future?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe figures given in the first part of the question are substantially correct, but I would refer the hon. Member to the Judicial Statistics of Ireland for 1911 for the latest details on the subject. It is to be hoped that with the settlement of the land question the condition of the disturbed portions of Clare and Galway will improve, but in any case the Irish Executive will be responsible for the maintenance of peace and order, and there is no reason to suppose that they will fail to take any steps necessary or proper for the purpose.
Mr. JOHN EDWARD GORDONasked the Chief Secretary whether, in the event of the Irish Executive withdrawing police protection from boycotted and intimidated 1823W persons, the Imperial Executive will establish military posts and patrols to protect these persons or whether they will be expected to protect themselves?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I have just given to the question on the same subject asked by the hon. Member for the Eddisbury Division.
Mr. JOHN EDWARD GORDONasked whether His Majesty's Government have taken into consideration in transferring the control of the Royal Irish Constabulary to the Irish Executive, the fact that they are likely to be entrusting the conduct of this body to individuals with whom the members of the force have frequently come into conflict; and whether they propose to provide any safeguards for the protection of members of the force against the actions of those who have suffered from the force in the lawful execution of its duty?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. and learned Member to the provisions of Clause 37 and the Fourth Schedule to the Bill. As I have just stated, I propose shortly to put down Amendments to these provisions.
§ Mr. KNIGHTasked whether, after the transfer of the control of the Royal Irish Constabulary to the Irish Executive, it is still intended that the force shall be a quasi-military force armed with bayonets, carbines, pistols, and swords; and whether the force will be expected to undertake the duties of soldiers, and the officers be expected to exhibit the qualifications of officers in the Army?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI trust that in course of time, as a result of the passing of the Bill, it may not be necessary to maintain the quasi-military character of the force. I have no reason to anticipate that its members will be required to undertake any duties beyond those which they now perform or that higher qualifications than at present will be expected in the case of the officers.
§ Mr. KNIGHTasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that, under the provisions of the Government of Ireland Bill of 1893, the Irish Government were expressly prohibited from establishing an armed force similar to the Royal Irish Constabulary; and whether such restrictions will apply to the Irish Government 1824W under the Government of Ireland Bill, 1912?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As to the second part of the question, the Irish Government are prohibited from establishing any force of a military character, but this prohibition does not, of course, extend to the maintenance of the existing police force as at present.
§ Mr. KNIGHTasked the Chief Secretary whether it would be the duty of the Royal Irish Constabulary to protect in time of war post offices for the Marconi wireless telegraph stations and the terminals of the Atlantic cables on Irish soil; and, if so, whether he has considered the adequacy of such protection by a force not under Imperial control?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIn time of war the defence of wireless telegraph stations and the terminals of submarine cables in all parts of the United Kingdom would devolve upon the War Office.
§ Mr. STEWARTasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in the event of the Royal Irish Constabulary, after the transference of that force to the Irish Government, continuing to perform duties for the Imperial Government, the Imperial Government will continue to possess any control of the rate of pay, the stations, and promotion of officers and men of the Royal Irish Constabulary?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo; except in so far as might be necessary to give effect to arrangements made between the two Governments.
§ Mr. STEWARTasked what are the duties of the Royal Irish Constabulary; whether, after the transference of the force to the Irish Government, the Royal Irish Constabulary will continue to perform all such duties as are performed by it now; whether the cost of all such duties will be met by the Irish Exchequer or some portion of them paid by the Imperial Exchequer; if so, whether such payments will be made direct to the Inspector General of the Royal Irish Constabulary or be of the character of refunds to the Irish Exchequer; what will be the duties performed by the Royal Irish Constabulary for the Irish Government and the Imperial Government, respectively; and what will be the estimated cost to each Government?
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§ Mr. BIRRELLIt would be impossible within the limits of an oral answer to define the duties of the Royal Irish Constabulary. After the transfer the existing members of the force will be liable to perform the same duties as before. The cost of the maintenance of the force will, after the transfer, be provided by the Irish Parliament out of the Irish Exchequer. The discharge of duties by members of the force in respect of matters reserved to the United Kingdom Government will be the subject of arrangement under Clause 40 of the Bill, and it is impossible to forecast what terms will be arranged between the Government of Ireland and Government of the United Kingdom.