§ Mr. HOGANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have made an offer to purchase the estate of Stony, situate in the parish of Loragh, county Tipperary; and, if so, can he say how the negotiations now stand?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commismissioners have had a preliminary inspection made of the lands, and have intimated to the owner the price they would be prepared to advance, but up to the present formal proceedings for sale have not been instituted before them.
§ Mr. HOGANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the untenanted land on what is known as the Spaight property, situate near Ballina, in North Tipperary, has been offered for sale to the Estate Commissioners; whether an inspector has been sent on the lands; and, if not, will it be done before the lands are again let for another eleven months?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe lands in question have not been offered to the Estate Commissioners. If proceedings for sale are instituted the lands will be inspected in their order of priority.
§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether on the estate of R. G. Kellet, Barley Hill, county 1570 Meath, the owner constituted his brother a tenant since the passing of the Land Act of 1903; whether the Estates Commissioners are aware of this fact; and will they make inquiries before advancing money to purchase a tenancy so created?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that the owner of this estate proposed to constitute his brother a tenant of certain lands with a view to selling them to him under the provisions of the Irish Land Act, 1903. The Commissioners have, however, refused to make any advance to the owner's brother for the purchase of the lands referred to.
§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have refused advances applied for by some small tenants on the estate of R. G. Kellet, Barley Hill, county Meath; whether the refusal was due to the fact that the tenants refused to take very inferior land for the enlargement of their holdings whilst fairly good untenanted land was available on the estate; and whether, having regard to the dissatisfaction given by the inspector engaged in the case in other districts of county Meath, they will send another inspector to report before declaring any of the lands an estate?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAs the hon. Member has already been informed, the owner and his brother arranged to make 100 acres in their occupation available for the purposes of distribution amongst the smaller occupiers on this estate. As these occupiers refused to accept the allotments and to complete the purchase of their holdings, the Estates Commissioners excluded their holdings from the sale and their purchase agreements were accordingly dismissed. The estate was visited by more than one inspector, and it is not proposed to have a further inspection made.
§ Mr O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he can say what steps, if any, the Estates Commissioners have taken to purchase the untenanted lands on the Massy estate, situate at Glenville and Ballylin, near Ardagh, in the county of Limerick; is he aware of the number of tenants of uneconomic holdings on this estate; and whether, having regard to this fact, the Estates Commissioners will acquire these lands without further delay for the purpose of enlarging them and for making provision for the evicted tenants in the locality?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that the lands have been inspected, and they have intimated to the owner the price which they would be prepared to advance if formal proceedings for sale were instituted.