HC Deb 11 March 1897 vol 47 cc497-8
MR. D. MACALEESE (Monaghan, N.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland—(l) if he will explain the cause of the delay in giving decisions in the land cases which were heard at Lisnaskea, county Fermanagh, on the 2nd of January last; (2) why the Sub-Commissioners have not as yet inspected the holdings of those tenants whose cases were heard at Clones, county Monaghan, on the 5th and 6th of February; (3) how many cases in the counties of Fermanagh and Monaghan in which the originating notices to have fair rents fixed were served before the 1st of last November have not as yet been listed for hearing; and when will there be another sitting of the Sub-Commissioners to hear these cases; and (4) whether it is intended to appoint additional Sub-Commissioners, so as to prevent accumulation of arrears of business and to dispose speedily of cases in which notices to have fair rents fixed have been served?

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

The cases referred to in the first paragraph were heard on the 4th January, but the inspections were necessarily postponed for some weeks in consequence of the illness of one of the Assistant Commissioners. The inspections have since taken place and the decisions will soon be announced. The holdings in the Clones cases are now being inspected. There are in Fermanagh and Monaghan 86 cases pending, in which originating notices were lodged prior to the 1st November last. A Sub-Commission Court will commence its sittings for cases arising out of the Monaghan Union on the 16th inst., and this list, when disposed of, will probably be followed by a new list for Clones Union. It is proposed to appoint some additional Sub-Commissioners shortly.

MR. MAURICE HEALY

asked whether the Land Commission Department had been yet able to form any opinion as to the extent to which the delay which had arisen in fixing fair rents was due to the new schedule in the Act?

MR. GERALD BALFOUR

said that in the opinion of the Land Commissioners delay had been caused by the Schedule, but he was not able to indicate precisely the amount of the delay.