§ MR. SHEEHANTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have received any application from the tenants in the town of Kilfinane requesting them to advance money for the purchase of their holdings; does this town form a portion of an estate which is mainly agricultural and on which a sale to the rural tenants has already taken place; and will he explain the powers of the Estates Commissioners to advance money for the purchase of their holdings to town tenants in circumstances such as the present.
§ (Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners have received from the town tenants referred to an application that their holdings should be included in the sale of Colonel Gascoigne's estate, and have directed their inspector to inquire into the matter. Proceedings for the sale of the rural portion of the estate have been instituted before the Commissioners. The general question of advances for the purchase of town or village holdings is dealt with in the Lord-Lieutenant's regulations of 13th November, 1906, to which I beg to refer the hon. Member.