§ MR. O'HARE (Monaghan, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a tenant farmer, named James M'Kenna, Tonnysilligo, in the parish of Donagh, barony of Trough, Monaghan, whose rent was raised at the expiration of his lease from £5 10s. to £9 by his landlord, the Earl of Dartrey, and who was subsequently evicted from his farm, made application three years ago to the Estates Commissioners for reinstatement, but has not as yet received any reply; and will he endeavour to ascertain why no answer was sent.
MR. BRYCEThe Estates Commissioners inform me that they have received the application in question, and have referred it with others to the inspector of the district for inquiry. The inspector's report has not yet been received, and in the meantime the Commissioners have no knowledge of the facts of the case.
§ MR. O'HAREWhat amount of time is required to investigate a simple matter 372 of this kind? Are the Commissioners discharging their duties properly when these delays occur?
MR. BRYCEThe Commissioners have a Large number of case to deal with and are disposing of them as quickly as they can. Additional inspectors have lately been appointed to assist them.
§ Mr. O'HAREHow long are we to wait in this unfortunate case?
§ MR. O'HAREI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that on 31st March, 1887, twelve tenants in the parish of Donagh, in the barony of Trough, Monaghan, were evicted from their holdings by the Earl of Dartrey; that since then these twelve evicted tenants have acted as caretakers or future tenants on those farms; that, whilst deprived of any benefits from recent Land Acts, the Earl of Dartrey wants twenty-six years purchase for the said farms; and will he state what action, if any, the Estates Commissioners are prepared to take to counteract this action on the part of the Earl of Dartrey.
MR. BRYCEThe Estates Commissioners inform me that they have not received any applications from persons who claim to have been evicted from the estate in question in the year 1887. They have, however, received applications from seven persons who allege that they were evicted from the estate in various years, ranging from 1881 to 1903. These applications will be inquired into in due course. No proceedings for the sale of the estate have yet been instituted before the Commissioners; but if the estate should come before them to be dealt with the cases of any tenants who may have refused to purchase will be inquired into, and the reasons for such refusal investigated.