HC Deb 25 June 1908 vol 191 cc110-1
MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY (Limerick, W.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he can say whether the Estates Commissioners are aware that the estate of Mr. O'Grady Delmege, situate at Glensharrold, Ardagh, in the County of Limerick, was one of the Campaign estates, and that there is a large number of uneconomic, holdings on it which, if purchased by the tenants without their being enlarged, would afford them no means of a decent living, and consequently would be no security for the purchase money advanced, and, having regard to these facts, and to the fact that there is a large area of mountain in the landlord's occupation, part of which is let for turbary every year, whether they will not sanction any agreement for the sale of this estate, without having the small holdings made economic and the landlord's portion of the mountain fairly partitioned among the tenants; and whether, having regard to the peculiar circumstances of this estate, they will send down an inspector to make full inquiries into its position and try and arrange a sale on the lines suggested.

MR. BIRRELL

The Estates Commissioners inform me that the estate in question is not one of the so-called plan of campaign estates which were reported on by the Evicted Tenants Commission of 1893, and that until proceedings for sale have been instituted before the Commissioners, and the case is reached in order of priority, they cannot see their way to send an inspector to visit the property. The Commissioners, however, will consider the several matters referred to in the Question if and when the estate comes before them to be dealt with.