§ DR. AMBROSE (Mayo, W.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland what extent of the Lucan Estate, in the Westport Union, has been sold to the Congested Districts Board from 1898 to the present date; what is the amount of the acreage which has been distributed amongst tenants for the relief of congestion during that time; what is the number of acres in the hands of the Congested Districts Board; what is the cause of the delay in the distribution of the portion in the hands of the Board, and whether, considering the distress prevailing in the Westport Union at present, he will urge the Board to commence the distribution of such lands at once.
(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.) In 1899 the Congested Districts Board agreed 588 to purchase from Lord Lucan 233 acres in the Westport Union, which were conveyed to the Board in December, 1904, and are now in the occupation of nine tenants. In 1900 the Board agreed to buy 355 acres in the same union, and in 1903 a further lot of 37,535 acres from Lord Bingham on the same estate in the union. The fee of the second lot, 355 acres, was conveyed to the Board in December, 1904, but the land is still in the occupation of Lord Lucan"s tenant, who is now under notice to quit. Owing to the change of procedure caused by the Land Act of 1903 the last lot, 37,535 acres, has not yet been conveyed to the Board, but it is expected it will be conveyed a couple of months hence. There is, consequently, no part of the estate in the Westport Union in the occupation of the Board at present.