§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state the total value of land agreed to be purchased 1047 under the Act of 1903 up to date, the total amount of money already paid in respect of these agreements, and what is the cause of the delay of completing the purchases in the remaining cases; and whether this arises from the insufficiency of money raised for this purpose or of the staff engaged in the work.
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell,) Bristol, N.The total amount of the advances applied for, including purchases by the Estates Commissioners and the Congested Districts Board, is £45,499,682, and the total amount of the advances sanctioned is £16,088,919. I gather that land purchase has proceeded with much greater rapidity than was anticipated when the Act of 1903 was parsed. The Estates Commissioners are using all possible despatch in making advances. Their staff has from time to time been increased and the question of further increasing it is now under consideration. I understand that a million and a half of the last issue of land stock still remains available for advances.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDSeeing there is a widespread impression that years have to elapse between the completion of an agreement and the payment of the money, with the result that many landowners are holding back from selling, will the right hon. Gentleman devise some means of quickening the procedure?
§ MR. BIRRELLsaid he was straining every nerve to secure the means to enable the system to work as rapidly as possible.