§ Mr. M. MEAGHERasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will state how many estates or portions of estates have been purchased under the Ashbourne or other Irish Land Purchase Acts without the head rents having been redeemed at the time of sale or since; is it open to annuitants, in respect to such estates, to now move in the Land Courts to have redemption prices fixed, and obtain from the Irish Land Commissioners advances to redeem such head rents; and, if not, will the Government have a clause or an Amendment added to the present Land Bill to enable the Irish Land Commissioners to make advances in such cases to redeem the head rents, in view of the fact that they are prior charges to the annuities, and their redemption would, therefore, enhance the value of the securities for the Commissioners, while it would place the purchasers in these cases on the same footing as all other purchasers under the Land Acts?
§ Mr. CHERRYI am informed that the number of estates sold subject to head rents is not large and there have been scarcely any so sold since the passing of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, 1887. It would not be possible to state the exact number without an examination of all sales under the Land Purchase Acts prior to the Act of 1903. As regards the remainder of the question I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to a question asked by the hon. Member for West Limerick on 24th May last.