§ MR. J. PHILLIPS (Longford, S.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if the Estates Commissioners have succeeded in purchasing any land in the County Longford, Ireland, in order to restore the County Longford evicted tenants; if so, will he state how many acres and the name of the lands so purchased; and when will the tenants be restored.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The Estates Commissioners have purchased, under the Irish Land Act, 1903, the estates of F. W. Cusack and R. O'Brien in County Longford. On the former estate 244 acres of untenanted land were acquired, and on 151 acres thereof three evicted tenants were reinstated. On the O'Brien estate 45 acres of untenanted land were acquired, on which an evicted tenant was reinstated. The Commissioners are 1221 at present negotiating for the purchase of the estate of L. J. Dopping Hepenstall, on which there are 168 acres of untenanted land, which it is proposed to give to nine evicted tenants, and for the estate of R. Davoren, on which there are 155 acres of untenanted land. The Commissioners are not at present able to say how much of this will be given to evicted tenants if they should acquire the estate. Further, the, Commissioners have published in the Dublin Gazette a notice of their intention to acquire, under the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, the estate of H. B. Armstrong, on which there are 117 acres of untenanted land.