§ MR. JOSEPH DEVLINI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can state or give a Return of the number and names of the tenants who have been evicted from their holdings in North Kilkenny since 1st May, 1879, and who have not been reinstated; how many applications for reinstatement have been received by the Estates Commissioners, and what steps are being taken with that object; and if the attention of the 153 Estates Commissioners has been called to the fact that 1,600 acres of untenanted land at Tullaroan, the property of Mr. Thomas Scully, of Washington, United States of America, can be purchased by the Estates Commissioners to provide holdings for some of the evicted tenants; and whether he can state what action, if any, the Estates Commissioners will take in the matter.
§ MR. WYNDHAMThe preparation of a Return giving the names of tenants evicted and not reinstated during the past twenty-five years would entail a vast amount of labour, and no useful object, it appears to me, would be served by such a Return. I am quite prepared, however, to give the hon. Member a Return showing the names of evicted tenants from whom application for reinstatement has been received by the Estates Commissioners. The Commissioners have not received an application for the sale of the untenanted land referred to. Should they acquire such land in the county it will be utilised, as far as possible, for the purpose of the reinstatement of evicted tenants.
§ MR. KILBRIDEWill the Estates Commissioners write to Mr. Scully at Washington asking him if he will sell the property?
§ MR. WYNDHAMI have more than once suggested to hon. Members that the Estates Commissioners are quite alive to the necessity of acquiring these holdings, but it must be left to their discretion to get them as cheaply as possible, and the very act of addressing an inquiry to the landlord after a Question has been asked in the House would amount to an invitation to him to put on a top price.