§ Mr. NEWMANasked the total number of the Royal Irish Constabulary as on 31st December, 1913, and the total number of resignations from the force during the period, 1st January to 31st December, 1913, as compared with the average number of resignations for the five preceding years?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe total number of the Royal Irish Constabulary (sergeants, acting sergeants, and constables) on the 31st December, 1913, was 10,023. The resignations during the year to 31st December, 1913, were 299; and the average number of resignations during the preceding five years was 154.
§ Mr. NEWMANalso asked the Chief Secretary the names of the Commission recently appointed to consider the question of the pay of the Royal Irish Constabulary; and whether he will give the weekly pay of a junior constable in the years 1882, 1902, and 1912 respectively?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe names of the Commission are the Right Hon. Sir David Harrel, K.C.B., Mr. R. F. Starkie, Resident Magistrate, and Mr. M. F. Headlam, Treasury Remembrancer. The weekly pay of a constable of less than four years' service in 1882 was £1 and since 1902 it has been £1 1s. The corresponding sums in the case of a constable of from four to seven years' service are £1 1s. and £1 2s. respectively.
§ Mr. NEWMANnext, asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he has received a series of resolutions passed at a meeting of Royal Irish Constabulary recently held at Mallow, county Cork, expressing the regret of the force that His Excellency had failed to appoint as Commissioners men whom the force as a whole could trust to impartially deal with their claims, and requesting that the Government should appoint two additional members to the Commission, one at least to be approved by members of the force, and that, further, the force should be allowed to be represented by counsel, to be o chosen and retained at the expense of the rank and file; and whether similar conferences making similar demands have been recently held at Omagh, Mullingar, and other parts of Ireland; and, if so, what action does he propose to take in respect of this petition?
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§ Mr. BIRRELLThe resolutions referred to have been received. This is an ordinary Departmental Committee. It was appointed by the Lord-Lieutenant, after due consideration of all the circumstances, and it is not possible to make any addition to it. In my opinion, it would be most undesirable to do so. The question as to the representation of the police by counsel is a matter for the Committee.
§ Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland the number and cost of officers in the Royal Irish Constabulary, from and including the rank of district inspector upwards, for the years ending 1900–5 and 1912, respectively; and whether he will state the mileage paid to those officers per county during the year ended 1912?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe number of officers of all ranks and the estimated total cost of their pay and allowances for the years mentioned are as follows:—
Estimated Cost. Year. Number. £ 1900–1 259 100,349 1901–2 259 100,136 1902–3 258 100,954 1903–4 258 101,295 1904–5 257 101,988 1905–6 254 101,191 1912–13 242 96,922 Charges for mileage are not shown separately in the accounts of the Royal Irish Constabulary Department, and I am, therefore, not in a position to answer the final paragraph of the question.
§ Mr. FETHERSTONHAUGHasked the Chief Secretary why a Committee of Inquiry as to the claims of the rank and file of the Royal Irish Constabulary has been appointed, having regard to the statement made by the Inspector-General to the men on parade, over three months ago, that the Government was then possessed of and was considering their claims; is he aware that the Royal Irish Constabulary are dissatisfied with the personnel of the Committee, owing to the past attitude of certain members to the men, and owing to the non-inclusion, as requested, of two or more outside employers of labour, and in consequence have the men from several centres refused to send witnesses; and is he aware that there is dissatisfaction in the force at the delay of the Government as to its claims and prospects?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis is an ordinary Departmental Committee appointed at the 601W request of the Treasury, and there is no contradiction between the alleged statement made by the Inspector-General and the action of the Government. No additions can be made to the Committee as now constituted. Only in a few districts have the men declared their intention to send no witnesses, and I have no reason to think any dissatisfaction which exists on account of any delay that may have taken place is widespread in the force.