§ Mr. SHEEHANasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that Mrs. Kate Kelleher, an evicted tenant, was offered recently a holding on the estate of Hughes Martin, Forrestown, Carrigtwohill, county Cork, and that this holding was also offered to several other evicted tenants and refused by them as well as by Mrs. Kelleher on the ground that the future annuity was burdensome and more than the land could bear; have any inquiries been made as to whether this view is sustained by the facts; and, seeing that experienced agriculturists, after inspecting this holding, have come to the conclusion that the proposed annuity was exorbitant, will the Estates Commissioners order that the interests of no evicted tenant shall be jeopardised because of his or her refusal to assume responsibilities they could not discharge; and, in the case of Mrs. Kelleher, who was evicted under exceptionally harsh circumstances, will steps be immediately taken to provide her and her family with a suitable holding?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that Mrs. Kelleher signed an undertaking to purchase the farm in question, but, as she subsequently refused to complete the purchase, it has been allotted to another evicted tenant. The Commissioners are satisfied that the lands are security for the annuity, and have decided to take no further action with regard to Mrs. Kelleher's application for reinstatement, which has been dismissed.