§ MR. SHEEHAN (Cork County, Mid.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to a resolution passed at the annual meeting of the Cork County Council, which set forth that in the opinion of that body the Evicted Tenants Act of last year was inadequate to settle this question; that the administration of the Act was unsatisfactory, and that the manner of deciding evicted tenants' claims without any provision for appeal in case of alleged injustice was most objectionable and unjust; and, seeing that there is considerable discontent amongst evicted tenants over the delay in procuring their reinstatement, will he say whether something will be done immediately to facilitate their re-settlement on the land.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) My attention has been called to a newspaper report containing the resolution referred to in the Question. It is too soon yet to judge of the effect which the Evicted Tenants Act of last year will have in settling the question. There is no foundation, so far as I am aware, for the suggestion that the administration of the Act is unsatisfactory. I understand that nearly 1,600 evicted tenants in all have been reinstated since the Act of 1903 was passed. The Estates Commissioners are proceeding with the matter as rapidly as possible.