HC Deb 23 February 1905 vol 141 cc1080-1
MR. JOHN O'DONNELL

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the tenants on the Nolan-Farrell Estate, situate at Logboy, near Ballyhaunis, county Mayo, have agreed to purchase their holdings from the Congested Districts Board at twenty and twenty-three years purchase; and, if so, whether, seeing that there are a number of grazing farms on this estate, some of which are held by parties who already hold substantial residential farms, the Congested Districts Board will refuse to sanction the giving of any of these ranches to any person other than the occupier of an uneconomic holding, or who has no land at present.

(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.) The Congested Districts Board has arranged for the purchase of the estate on the basis of twenty years for first-term and twenty-three years for second-term rental of permanent agricultural tenancies. The Board has also arranged for the purchase of the demesne and other lands let under temporary lettings and to obtain clear possession of these lands, which will be utilised for migration and the enlargement of small holdings on the estate.

MR. JOHN O'DONNELL

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that two graziers on the Nolan-Farrell Estate, situate.at Logboy, near Ballyhaunis, county Mayo, who hold portions of a grazing ranche on what is known as the Rockfield part of the estate, have applied for a grant to the Congested Districts Board to enable them to become owners of these grazing lands; and, if so, whether, in view of the number of uneconomic holdings on this estate, he will give instructions to the Board not to give any grant to these persons, but to take steps towards the dividing of all grazing farms on the estate, with a view to enlarging uneconomic and creating new holdings.

(Answered by Mr. Wyndham.) The grazing lands at Rockfield are held under early tenancies. When the Board acquire the ownership of the estate it will consider the question of obtaining possession of these lands.