HC Deb 09 February 1900 vol 78 cc1056-7
MR. FLAVIN

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the landlord of the Warden estate, near Sneem, county Kerry, refused to give a site for a national school teacher's residence on the teacher's own farm of land unless the teacher would give up his tenant right to him, and that the teacher, under the landlord's pressure, has consented to give up his tenant right in his holding in order to obtain a suitable site for the residence he requires on his own farm; whether the Local Government Board have refused to sanction the site which the landlord selected owing to its unsuitable condition; and what steps, if any, can the Government now take to compel the landlord to allow the teacher to build a residence on his own land which will be approved of by the Local Government Board.

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. ATKINSON,) (for Mr. G. W. BALFOUR) Londonderry, N.

I have no information as to the matters referred to in the first paragraph. It is the fact, however, that an application for a loan to erect a teacher's residence, in connection with the Sneem National School, was approved by the Commissioners of National Education. The site proposed was found to be rocky and unsuitable, and another site was suggested by the teacher. The manager was informed by the Board of Works of the legal steps necessary to be taken by him, and he was informed that pending the perfection and registration of the lease, nothing further could be done to complete the case. The Board are not aware of any difficulty with the landlord in obtaining this site, but if such difficulties exist the trustees can avail themselves of the provisions of the Irish Education Acts, under which sites for teachers' residences can be acquired compulsorily subject to certain conditions being satisfied.

MR. T. M. HEALY

The right hon. Gentleman says he has no information. Will he cause the police to make inquiries?

MR. FLAVIN

Has the right hon. Gentleman applied to the teacher for information?

* MR. SPEAKER

Order, order!