§ MR. JASPER TULLY (Leitrim, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Land Commission have inquired into the circumstances under which Thomas Fitzpatrick, Druminchin, South Leitrim, a tenant on the Godley Estate, entered into an agreement to purchase his holding in their court; whether he is aware that Fitzpatrick paid the first instalment of the purchase money to the duly accredited representative of the solicitor of the vendor in the presence of the clergyman of the district, and that, as a result of the conduct of this gentleman, Fitzpatrick has been deprived of his right to purchase, and has been recently served with a notice constituting him a caretaker of his holding; and whether he can state what steps the Land Commission will take for the protection of a 1717 suitor like Fitzpatrick, who endeavours to purchase his holding in their court.
MR. JOHN MORLEYThe Land Commission inform me that no purchase agreement signed by the tenant named in question has been lodged with them, and that no purchase instalment has, or could have, been received by them. Consequently the Land Commission have no jurisdiction in the matter. If, however, as stated, Mr. Fitzpatrick entered into an agreement to purchase, his remedy, if any, would lie against the vendor, but not before the Land Commission.