§ CAPTAIN O'GRADYasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if it is intended to reinstate ex-Constables Tarpey and MacGuire, of the Royal Irish Constabulary, County Galway, who were dismissed without any form of trial or inquiry on 28th May, 1919. presumably for their union activities; whether he is aware that the Royal Irish Constabulary were permitted to join the Police Union, along with the Dublin Metropolitan 517W Police up to 4th February, 1919, and that Constables Tarpey and MacGuire, with over 1,000 Royal Irish Constabulary sergeants and constables, joined the union in January; if he is aware that in Ireland the Police Union was created to remove long-standing grievances in the force, to ensure that the pay and conditions of service would be similar to that for police in Great Britain, and to provide for the social welfare of all its members, especially in cases of distress, sickness, and death; and whether, seeing that many of these grievances have been removed, he will consider the immediate reinstatement without loss of pay or service, of these two men who have received favourable records for good police service?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONNo, Sir. I should like to remind my hon. and gallant Friend that the Royal Irish Constabulary were never permitted to join the Police Union. The two constables, knowing the consequences, admitted the charge against them.