§ MR. WILLIAM O'BRIEN (Cork)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether anything has been done to carry out the promise of the Estates Commissioners, made many months ago, to provide a holding for Widow Sammon of Carrowkennedy, County Mayo; whether he is aware that the sum in dispute at the time of her eviction, nine years ago, was only £20, and that the special police barracks erected on the evicted holding costs the Imperial Treasury at least £500 a year, and might be dispensed with if this woman were provided with a new holding, or a reasonable offer made to the occupier of her old holding.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissions have noted Mrs. Sammon's name for a holding or lands in County Mayo which they have gazetted for compulsory acquisition under the Evicted Tenants Act. An objection under Section 2 of the Act has been lodged and until the lands have been acquired the Commissioners cannot take any further action, As regards the latter part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his Question on 3rd June last.
§ MR. WILLIAM O'BRIENCan the right hon. Gentleman give any indication when there will be a definite settlement in this case? Is not this district one of the most crimeless in the country, and indeed, in the world, and can the right hon. Gentleman not impress upon his Commission that there is a better way of expressing gratitude to the Irish people than to spend five years in tinkering over the case of a poor woman and employing policemen solely to shadow her?
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners are doing their best to settle this case.