§ MR. SHEEHAN (Cork, Mid.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that an agricultural labourer named Michael Mahony applied for a cottage on the farm of a man named Noonan, at Coolinarny, in connection with the improvement scheme recently promoted by the Millstreet Rural District Council; that although Mahony and his father before him had, worked on this farm for forty years, Mahony was evicted by Noonan from the insanitary dwelling he occupied immediately after he had sent in his representation paper for a cottage; and that at the sworn inquiry the occupier represented that Mahony was an evicted tenant, and that consequently his application was reported on unfavourably by the Local Government Board inspector; is he aware that on the circumstances being subsequently
† See page 61.929 placed before the Local Government Board they modified their order, and sanctioned the erection of the cottage provided a written consent was given by the occupier; has such consent been given; and, having regard to the provisions of the Labourers Acts, where cottages are proved to be necessary, can he explain why an order was made for the consent of the occupier to be obtained.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe facts are generally as stated. The Board could not consent to compulsory powers for acquiring a portion of the farm in question as a site for a cottage for Mahony without the consent of the occupier. But, if such consent were given, the Board would not object to the inclusion of the cottage in the Provisional Order. The rural council has been so informed, but so far no reply has been received. If the site is not included in the Provisional Order it will be open to the council to accept Mahony as a tenant for a cottage on some other site.