§ MR. FIELDTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether, in the case of estates purchased under the Land Act of 1903, the mineral rights are vested in the Land Commission; whether the Land Commission have power to deal with the mineral rights; and whether he proposes to arrange that a geological survey of Ireland should be made with a view that the county councils may take 1153 advantage of and utilise any discoveries of mineral wealth within their districts.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) In reply to the first part of the Question I would refer to Sections 13 and 99 of the Irish Land Act, 1903. A Bill for the purpose of enabling the Land Commission to dispose of mineral rights vested in them has been introduced by the Government, and is at present before Parliament. The Government do not propose to under take any geological survey of Ireland other than that which is at present being carried out under the Department of Agriculture.