HC Deb 13 May 1908 vol 188 cc1145-6
MR. BOLAND (Kerry, S.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether his attention has been called to the actual terms of the purchase agreement entered into between the late Mr. J. W. Leahy and his Aghatubrid estate tenants on 8th January, 1907; whether he is aware that the tenants have fulfilled their side of the agreement, but that since the death of Mr. Leahy all efforts to have the purchase agreement carried into effect have been blocked by the new agent of the estate; can he state how many communications have passed between the agent and the Estates Commissioners on the subject of the completion of the sale; and whether, in view of the fact that by the terms of the agreement the fixing of the purchase price was left unconditionally in the hands of the Estates Commissioners, he will now state what further steps will be taken by the Estates Commissioners.

To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can now state what answer has been received by the Estates Commissioners from the agent of the estate of the late Mr. J. W. Leahy, at Aghatubrid, near Cahirciveen, with reference to the purchase negotiations; whether the terms of the agreement signed by the late Mr. Leahy, and the hon. Member for South Kerry, acting on behalf of the tenants, will now be carried into effect by Mr. Leahy's representatives; and what steps have been taken by the Estates Commissioners since this House adjourned for the Easter Recess.

MR. BIRRELL

The agreement arrived at between the late Mr. Leahy and his tenants can scarcely be described as a purchase agreement. The agreement was that the prices to be paid by the tenants were to be left to the decision of the Estates Commissioners, but, as I have already explained to the hon. Member, the death of the owner led to a suspension of the negotiations. The Estates Commissioners have made four communications to the agent or solicitor of the present owner with reference to the completion of the sale. No reply has yet been received from the agent to the Commissioners' last letter asking for a definite reply to the question whether the present owner is prepared to continue proceedings for sale at their estimated price. The Commissioners, however, understand that Canon O'Riordan, who is interested on behalf of the tenants, has received a letter from the agent to the effect that he is advising the present owner to accept the price offered by the Estates Commissioners.