To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether an application for a payment in connection with extra police has been made to the county council of Leitrim; by whom has the application been made and by whose authority; under what statute is it proposed to levy the charge; have the Law Officers of the Crown in Ireland been consulted in reference to this matter; what is the maximum quota to which Leitrim is entitled; when was the quota fixed and what was the average number of constabulary stationed in the county of Leitrim in the years 1881, 1891, 1901, and 1906; have full particulars been furnished to the county council; and will he give his personal attention to this matter.

The Inspector-General of the Royal Irish Constabulary applied to the Leitrim County Council for the payment of sums amounting to £339 18s. in respect of extra police stationed in the county during the year ending 31st March last, and as the county council refused to pay, the amount has, by order of the Lords Justices, been deducted from the sums payable to the county from the local taxation account. The Inspector-General acted under the authority of the Acts 9 and 10 Vic., c. 97, and 11 and 12 Vic., c. 72, which authorise the charge to be levied. The Law Officer were not consulted on this particular case, in which the established practice was followed. The present free quota of police for Leitrim is 147,which was fixed in May, 1906. The average number of the free force in the county was: in 1881, 210; in 1891, 220; in 1901, 182; and in 1906, 146. It is, however, to be remembered that since 1881 the population has decreased by nearly one-fourth. Full particulars of the extra forces charge 1 for have been furnished to the county council.