§ Mr. JAMES O'KELLYasked the Chief Secretary whether he will comply with 51W the demand of the Castlerea District Council for the removal of the extra police from Buckhill, county Roscommon?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Inspector-General informs me that there are no extra police in county Roscommon. The men employed at Buckhill belong to the county force and are not an extra charge on the ratepayers.
§ Colonel SHARMAN-CRAWFORDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will give the amounts charged to each county and county borough in Ireland in respect of the Royal Irish Constabulary for the year ended 31st March, 1914, distinguishing between permanent charges and charges for services rendered in connection with temporary disturbances?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe following Return shows the amounts charged to each county and county borough in Ireland in respect of the Royal Irish Constabulary for the year ended 31st March, 1914:—
Counties and County Boroughs. Amounts charged for permanent services of police. Amounts charged for services in connection with temporary disturbances. Total. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Antrim … … — 14 6 0 14 6 0 Armagh … … — 143 8 8 143 8 8 Clare … … — 1,860 19 6 1,860 19 6 Down … … — 164 5 11 164 5 11 Dublin … … — 1,868 18 3 1,868 18 3 Galway East and West … … — 6,455 4 3 6,455 4 3 Kildare … … — 33 0 4 33 0 4 King's … … — 564 19 3 564 19 3 Londonderry … … — 54 7 10 54 7 10 Mayo … … — 85 12 1 85 12 1 Monaghan … … — 15 7 0 15 7 0 Roscommon … … — 379 17 0 379 17 0 Sligo … … — 914 17 5 914 17 5 Tyrone … … — 83 5 2 83 5 2 Belfast City … … 27,523 4 11 — 27,523 4 11 Cork City … … — 31 6 5 31 6 5 Limerick City … … — 51 8 1 51 8 1 Londonderry City … … 658 8 0 403 8 9 1,061 16 9 Waterford City … … — 25 9 8 25 9 8 £28,181 12 11 £13,150 1 7 £41,331 14 6
§ Colonel SHARMAN-CRAWFORDasked the Chief Secretary if he is aware that Belfast was charged £27,533 15s. 2d. and Londonderry City £445 2s. 11d. for the year ending 31st March, 1914, for their permanent force of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and that no other county or county borough in Ireland was charged 1d. for the permanent constabulary force; and
52Wwill he state on what principle this charge was levied?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI am aware that the charges for permanent extra police in Belfast and Londonderry City for the year to 31st March, 1914, were £27,523 4s. 11d. and £658 8s., respectively. The distribution of a "free quota" is subject to special statutory provisions in the case of these two cities. I would refer the hon. Member to Sections 1 to 6 of the Constabulary (Ireland) Amendment Act, 1865, and Sections 1 to 8 of the Constabulary (Ireland) Amendment Act, 1870, as amended by later enactments.
§ Colonel SHARMAN-CRAWFORDnext asked the Chief Secretary if he will state on what principle the so-called free quota of the Royal Irish Constabulary is distributed in Ireland; and if there is any principle why Cork, Limerick, and Waterford are each allotted an average of twenty-four constables for each 10,000 of the
population and Belfast only thirteen per 10,000 of the population?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe general distribution of the "free quota" of the Royal Irish Constabulary is based on the normal police requirements of the several counties and cities. In the case of Belfast, the number of the "free quota" was fixed at 130 in 53W 1865, and has since been increased from time to time. It now stands at 500.
Mr. F. HALL (Dulwich)asked if constables of the Irish constabulary not living in barracks have to make a contribution towards the cost of certain items of upkeep of barracks; will he state the total annual amount of such payment; and whether a similar charge is made in the case of officers living out?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNeither officers nor constables residing out of barracks are required to make any contribution towards the cost of upkeep of barracks. The hon. Member may possibly refer to the arrangements made locally by the men themselves for the Hire of barrack servants. Under this arrangement it is understood that married men whose families do not reside in the barracks are expected to make a certain contribution towards the wages of the barrack servants, but smaller than the rate of contribution made by the men residing in the barracks. The constabulary authorities take no official notice of these payments and no record of them is kept.