§ MR. O'MARA (Kilkenny, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that a number of tenants on the Robert Tyndall estate, Kilmacow, county Kilkenny, have been served with notices preliminary to eviction; will he say whether the tenants on this estate invited the intervention of the Estates Com- 774 missioners with a view of arranging terms of purchase; and whether, with a view to saving this district from disorder and disturbances, he will take steps to prevent evictions on this estate.
The hon. Member had also given notice of the following Questions:
To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been drawn to negotiations going on for some time back between the tenants on the Robert Tyndall estate, Kilmacow, county Kilkenny, and the landlord in respect to the purchase of their holdings; is he aware the tenants left the settlement in regard to price, etc., in the hands of the Estates Commissioners; and can he now state what reply was given by Mr. Robert Tyndall to the preferred mediation of the Estates Commissioners.
To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that the tenants of Mr. Robert Tyndall, Kilmacow, county Kilkenny, opened negotiations with their landlord with a view of purchasing their holdings, and that the landlord insisted upon twenty-six and a half years purchase, which with bonus would make the purchase money thirty years; will he say whether the Estates Commissioners used their power to try and bring about a settlement, and, if so, with what result; and whether the Government will allow the forces at its disposal to be used on this property to carry out evictions.
MR. BRYCEI will answer these three Questions together. I have no information as to whether the tenants on the estate of Mr. Robert Tyndall have been served with notices preliminary to eviction. The Estates Commissioners inform me that, having become aware that differences existed between the landlord and tenants in regard to terms of purchase, they approached both parties and offered their services as conciliators in pursuance of the Regulations. The tenants agreed to leave the purchase price of their holdings to the Estates Commissioners, but the landlord replied that having regard to the combination against payment of rent entered into by the tenants, he did not see that any useful purpose would be 775 served by the intervention of the Commissioners. The Commissioners thereupon decided that they could not do anything more in the matter of settling the dispute. The Commissioners have no information as to the terms demanded by the landlord, beyond the statement of the tenants that he asked twenty-six and a third years purchase. It is not competent to the executive Government to refuse the assistance of the forces of the Crown for the protection of the Sheriff when engaged in the execution of the King's Writ.