HC Deb 21 January 1897 vol 45 cc179-80
CAPTAIN DONELAN (Cork, E.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1) whether he is aware that, in many of the unions in the South of Ireland, conciliation committees, consisting of an equal number of ex-officio and elected guardians, were formed during the past autumn for the purpose of promoting settlements between landlords and their evicted tenants under the re-instatement clauses of the Land Act of last year; (2) whether he is aware that, while the evicted tenants promptly accepted the mediation of these committees, the landlords almost without exception declined their services; and (3) whether steps will be taken to render these clauses effective by the appointment of arbitration committees with compulsory powers?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND

I believe it is a fact that committees were formed in certain Unions of the South of Ireland for the purpose of promoting settlements under the Act of last year, but I have no official information of the number of such committees or of the results of the negotiations entered into by them. The answer to the third paragraph is in the negative.

CAPTAIN DONELAN

asked if the hon. and learned Gentleman would cause further inquiry to be made in the matter?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND

said that if he had reason to believe the information received was incorrect he would be most happy to inquire further.

MR. JOHN DILLON (Mayo, E.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will grant the Return relating to Applications of Evicted Tenants under the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1896, on the Paper?

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND

There is no objection to state the total number of applications made by evicted tenants under Section 17 of the Act of last year, and the general results of such applications; but it is undesirable to publish the names of the landlord and the former tenant in each case as well as the ruling of the Land Commission thereon, and the Government are unable therefore to consent to a Return containing the information under the latter heads.