§ MR. P. O'BRIEN (Monaghan, N.)asked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether he has received any intimation that Mr. S. E. Shirley intends evicting 36 families on his Farney Estate, in the County Monaghan, on the 22nd instant; whether it is a fact that the tenants on this estate have served Mr. Shirley with the necessary originating notices, preparatory to going into the Land Court to have fair rents fixed; and, whether a police force has yet been applied for to carry out these threatened evictions on Tuesday next; and, if so, whether, pending the decisions of the Land Court in their cases, he will withhold his sanction to the Forces of the Crown being used for the purpose of carrying out the eviction of the tenantry of this estate, which numbers 2,000, and represents about 12,000 persons?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR) (Manchester, E.)I require further Notice of this Question.
§ MR. P. O'BRIENArising out of the answer of the right hon. Gentleman, I wish to ask him is he aware the evictions take place to-morrow?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURThe Question only appeared on the Paper on Saturday, and I have not had time to obtain the necessary information.
§ MR. P. O'BRIENIn consequence of the unsatisfactory nature of the right hon. Gentleman's reply, I beg to give Notice that I shall recommend the tenants on Mr. Shirley's estate to protect themselves by adopting the Plan of Campaign.