§ MR. JAMES O'KELLY (Roscommon, N.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether any progress is being made in the movement for the restoration of the former tenants of the townland of Derryonagh, on the Tredennick estate, County Roscommon; whether it is now two years since the farms from which they were evicted were offered for sale to the Estates Commissioners by the agent for the estate with a view to securing the reinstatement of the tenants in question; and whether any steps can be taken to expedite matters.
(Answered by Mr. Cherry.) The Estates Commissioners were for some time in negotiations with the owner for the purchase of the property in question, but an agreement as to price could not be arrived at and the negotiations were abandoned. The Commissioners received six applications for reinstatement on the estate, but they do not intend to take 1213 action in any of these cases, and consequently they do not propose to reopen the negoitations for purchase.