§ Mr. JAMES O'CONNORasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that, about a year ago, the Estates Commissioners noted 41 applications from evicted tenants in the county Wicklow as suitable to be provided with holdings; and can he say how many of these 41 applicants have since been provided with holdings?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that 19 county Wicklow evicted tenants have been reinstated or provided with new holdings by them, and six by landlords, and that 21 others have been noted for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land in respect of which purchase proceedings are pending before the Commissioners.
The HON. MEMBERalso asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have purchased, or are negotiating for the purchase of, the 1421 Saunders Grove estate, at Baltinglass, county Wicklow; and, if so, whether the Estates Commissioners propose to sell to John Lee the farm on the Saunders estate from which he was evicted two years ago?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners had a preliminary inspection made of part of this estate with the consent of the late owner, but the present owner is not willing to sell, and no proceedings are now pending for the sale of the estate. The Commissioners received an application from John Lee for reinstatement in a holding from which, according to his statement, he was evicted in June, 1907. The holding is now in the occupation of Thomas Lee. The application does not come within the provisions of the Evicted Tenants Act, and the Commissioners have decided to take no action in the matter.