§ MR. MEEHAN (Queen's County, Leix)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware if there are 500 acres of untenanted land suitable for tillage purposes on the De Vesci estate, Queen's County, that there are on this estate twenty evicted tenants, that evicted tenants have repeatedly applied for reinstatement or equivalent holdings, and that in the months of November and December last, permanent tenancies were created on those 500 acres of untenanted land with the object of defeating the intentions of the Evicted Tenants Act, and preventing the reinstatement of those evicted tenants; and whether he will issue instructions to the Estates Commissioners to apply the compulsory powers under the Evicted Tenants Act, and acquire the land for allotment amongst the evicted tenants.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners have made inquiries with reference to the untenanted lands on the estate of Lord De Vesci, which are stated to be suitable for the restoration of evicted tenants. Eighteen applications for reinstatement have been received from evicted tenants on this property, and of these ten have been noted as suitable to receive land. The Commissioners have been informed that several tenancies have recently been created in these particular lands. The Commissioners are considering what may be done in the matter generally.
§ MR. DELANY (Queen's County, Ossory)Will steps be taken to prevent these bogus tenancies being created?
§ MR. BIRRELLIt is a matter on which the Estates Commissioners will be consulted.