HC Deb 27 June 1917 vol 95 cc414-5W
Mr. NUGENT

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been directed to the statement made by the Dublin Police magistrate, MacInerney, on the hearing of prosecutions, to the effect that the police deliberately tried to provoke a riot; if he is aware that this statement was made after Superintendent Bannon admitted having fired revolver shots; if he is aware that Inspector Mills, who was killed at Beresford Place a few weeks ago, was acting under Superintendent Bannon; and if he will cause inquiries to be made as to the capacity of Superintendent Bannon for the position he occupies?

Mr. DUKE

My attention was called to the statement of the police magistrate. I am satisfied, after full investigation of the facts, that the imputation on the police is, and could not be, justified. Personal inquiries among citizens convinced me that the police as a force behaved throughout the recent period of difficulty with discipline, courage and forbearance. Superintendent Bannon has gained, and I believe him to deserve, the entire confidence of his official chiefs, and I regret and deprecate the association of his name with the criminal act to which the question refers.

Mr. NUGENT

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that pressure has been put on the constables of the Dublin Metropolitan Police to subscribe to the fund for the widow and children of the late Inspector Mills; if so, will lie take steps to prevent such exaction being made from people who find it difficult to live on their present income and who, owing to their many cases of penalisation recently, find it difficult to refuse; and whether he will take steps to secure that the Government provides adequate and generous provision for the widow and family of the late Inspector Mills, killed while discharging his duty on the instructions of his superior officer?

Mr. DUKE

There is no foundation for the suggestion in the first part of the question. I answered the latter part on Thursday last in reply to questions of the hon. Members for South Tyrone and Dublin University.