MR. O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether the attention of the Land Commission has been called to a resolution of the Kildysart Board of Guardians, complaining of the inconvenience and expense to fifty-six suitors in that union, who were obliged to travel distances of twelve to seventeen miles to have their land claims heard at the late sittings of the Sub-Commission at Kilrush; whether, in consequence of the complaint of inadequate accommodation at the Kildysart Courthouse, the guardians of the Kildysart Union have placed their board-room at the disposal of the Sub-Commissioners; and, whether they will be requested to arrange for the future to bring their court within easier reach of poor suitors?
§ MR. TREVELYANThe Chairman of the County Clare Sub-Commission reports as follows:— 1782
Last September we sat at Kildysart, to save the tenants the journey to Kilrush, and found the Petty Sessions House there quite insufficient for the accommodation of the Court. We received no intimation that the Guardians had placed their Board room at the disposal of the Sub-Commission. The Kildysart Union is of large area; accordingly, with a view to the convenience of the parties, and with the approval of the solicitors on both sides, we arranged that the cases nearer Kilrush should be taken up there, whilst those nearer Ennis should be heard at that town. The tenants all received notice of the time their cases would be heard at Kilrush, and they were, in fact, not delayed an hour from the time mentioned in the notice. None of the tenants expressed the slightest dissatisfaction at having to come into Kilrush.
MR. O'BRIENDo I understand the right hon. Gentleman to state that the arrangement of the Sub-Commissioners was made entirely to suit the convenience of the tenants?
§ MR. KENNYRelative to the answer of the right hon. Gentleman, may I ask whether, at this season, Kilrush being within easy drive of Kilkee, a well-known seaside resort, if the convenience of the Sub-Commissioners, for the purposes of personal enjoyment, is of greater importance than the convenience of the tenant farmers of the county Clare; and if he is aware that this arrangement is come to annually by the Court?
§ MR. TREVELYANI will answer that Question with Notice. In reply to the hon. Member for Mallow, I may say that I have given him all the information I have on the subject.