§ MR. FIELDTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that a sum of £32,470 was collected for the year 1905 in Ireland as Crown and quit rents; whether he can state the total amount collected from that source during the past ten years; whether he will state if it is retained as a separate fund, and what portion of it has been expended and for what purpose; and whether he will consider the advisability of applying this money to create and finance a forestry department for the purpose of re-afforesting Ireland.
(Answered by Mr. McKenna.) The quit and other Crown rents collected in Ireland during the year ended 31st March last amounted to the sum mentioned by the hon. Member. As was stated in answer to a Question by the hon. Member
† See (4) Debates, clxiii, 684.103 for Kilkenny South, on 7th March last.† the average annual amount of quit rents collected during the ten years ended 31st March, 1905, is £35,516, and the money has been merged in the general income of the land revenues of the Crown, the surplus proceeds of which have been paid into the Exchequer each year, in accordance with the provisions of the Crown Land Acts. As I have previously informed the hon. Member the question of re-afforestation in Ireland is one which must be dealt with on its merits, apart from any question connected with quit rents.