HC Deb 09 June 1890 vol 345 cc342-3
MR. MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether, within the next few weeks, 39 families are to be evicted from the Stewart Estate, at Falcarragh, and six families from the Swiney Estate, in the same district, and whether more than GO families are about the same time to be evicted from the Olphert Estate; whether the forces of the Crown will be employed in the carrying out of these evictions; and is Falcarragh to be included in the congested districts for which special provision is contemplated under the Land Purchase Bill through the agency of the Board to be created by that measure?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

The Sheriff has applied for protection to carry out evictions on the Stewart and Swiney Estates to the extent stated in the first paragraph of the question. No application has been yet received in regard to the Olphert Estate. The forces of the Crown will not be employed in carrying out the evictions; but they will be present in compliance with the requisition of the Sheriff to afford him and his officers protection should the occasion arise. Falcarragh is within the con- gested district contemplated by the Bill.

MR. MACNEILL

The right hon. Gentleman has not answered the last paragraph of the question, namely, whether Falcarragh is included in the congested districts under the Land Purchase Bill?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

Yes.

MR. MACNEILL

AS a matter of policy, to say nothing of humanity, will not the right hon. Gentleman see the propriety of arresting the employment of the forces of the Crown until the benevolent schemes of the Government can be put into operation?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

It is not a matter of policy or humanity, but simply of upholding the law.

MR. MACNEILL

Am I to understand that the Government have no option in the matter, and that they are obliged to employ the forces of the Crown in battering down the houses of these poor tenants?

MR. A. J. BALFOUR

I have no ground for believing that the kind of resistance the hon. Gentleman alludes to will be made by the tenants against the sheriff, who will simply act in the performance of a duty imposed on him by a Court of Law.