§ MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can say what is the procedure adopted by the Estates Commissioners in respect to appeals lodged 288 by landowners objecting to the compulsory acquisition of untenanted land by the Commissioners, with a view to the reinstatement of evicted tenants; whether notice of the landlord's intention to appeal, and the alleged grounds for appealing, are communicated to the evicted tenants or their representatives; has the landlord the opportunity of making ex parte statements to the Commissioners in person or by solicitor or counsel, whilst the evicted tenant has no opportunity of stating his case or tendering rebutting evidence; and, if so, whether he proposes to take any steps to secure equality of treatment in these appeal cases.
§ MR. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that the procedure on appeals under the Evicted Tenants Act 1907, is prescribed by Rules of the Supreme Court of Judicature in Ireland. * When an appeal is taken from an order of the Commissioners they take no further action until the appeal is determined. The Commissioners give notice to all persons interested in the land of their intention to acquire lands under the Act, and it is open to all parties to communicate freely with them.