§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners got 170 acres of untenanted land on the Colonel Westropp, Doonas, estate to divide among the tenants of that estate having small holdings, and how long is it since they got the division of this land; whether, whilst they intended to make seventeen divisions, they will consider the desirability of increasing the number of divisions so that a greater number of the poorer tenants would get a division; and will he say when is the division to take place, as there is a question of getting additional untenanted land in the neighbourhood which would be already obtained but for the delay in the division of this land.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners inform me that in this case 175 acres of untenanted land are being sold to them. The Commissioners specially expedited the inspection, and have since had the land divided into seventeen parcels for distribution. Steps are at present being taken to obtain the signatures to purchase agreements of the seventeen persons selected as purchasers, and as soon as this has been done the purchasers will be put into possession. The Commissioners consider that the division of the lands which they have made is the most suitable in the circumstances, and cannot now re-open the matter.