§ Mr. BOLANDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland what further steps, if any, have been taken by the Congested Districts Board to complete the negotiations for the purchase of Sir Morgan O'Connell's estate at Mastergeehy and Ballycarbery, county Kerry?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell)I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave on the 21st instant to the question on this subject addressed to me by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. BOLANDasked what is the present position of the negotiations for the purchase of the M'Gillicuddy Eager estate in Glencar, county Kerry; and whether the Estates Commissioners or the Congested Districts Board, as the case may be, are bearing in mind the claims of the evicted tenants to be restored to their holdings as one of the conditions of purchase?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on this subject on the 8th instant, to which I have nothing to add.
§ Mr. WILLIAM O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners can give an approximate estimate of what sum Irish tenant-purchasers are losing yearly in the shape of increased interest on the purchase money owing to the deadlock in the case of non-vested estates; for what average number of years beyond the 68½ contemplated m the Act of 1903 these annual payments will be prolonged; and whether he can give any estimate how much per annum the tenants at present debarred from purchase are losing by being deprived of the reductions which purchase at the average rate would secure to them in their existing rents?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners do not consider that any reliable estimate of the nature referred to can be made. The rate of interest in lieu of rent payable by tenants in direct sales is a matter of agreement between the parties. This interest is payable from the dates of the purchase agreements until the purchase-money is advanced, and is less than the rents which the tenants were paying Estates pending for sale before the Commissioners are dealt with, and the purchase money advanced, as far as practicable, in order of priority under the regulations made under the Land Purchase Acts. The rate at which estates, the subject of pending purchase agreements, are 1336 dealt with, and the purchase money advanced, depends not only on the amount of money which may be available during each year, but also on the number of vendors who may elect to accept payment wholly in stock, partly in stock, and partly in cash, or to wait for payment in rash. The Commissioners cannot possibly forecast how many vendors may so elect each year, or the amount of money which may be available for land purchase in such year.
§ Mr. W. O'BRIENMay I ask, as the Estate Commissioners will not give any estimate themselves, whether they will undertake to contradict the estimate that has been made by a very competent and well-known authority, that the tenant purchasers are losing at the present moment between £300,000 and £400,000 a year in the shape of increased interest, and that the tenants who are debarred from purchasing by the abrogation of the Act of 1903 are losing at least a million a year in their yearly payments?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI have no reason to believe the accuracy of that forecast at all. I do not believe it to be the case.
§ Mr. W. O'BRIENWill the right hon. Gentleman have any objection to referring that question to the financial experts whom the Government are taking into consultation as to the financial relations between the two countries?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI do not think that question arises.
§ Mr. BOLANDasked what further steps have been taken by the Congested Districts Board to negotiate for the purchase of the Caherdaniel estate of Mr. Daniel O'Connell, of Darrynane?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe papers in this case have been lodged with the Congested Districts Board, and the estate will be inspected and valued as soon as practicable.