§ 76. Mr. DELANYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have received a memorial, signed by fifteen small holders in the neighbourhood of Levalley, Rathdowney, Queen's County, whose farms do not average more than seven acres, and who have a total of 93 persons depending upon them, pointing out that in the immediate vicinity there is the farm of Levalley, consisting of 112 Irish acres, untenanted, and temporarily let for grazing of stock, and requesting that steps be taken to acquire this farm for the purpose of enlarging their holdings; and can he say what course the Estates Commissioners propose to adopt in this matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe memorial referred to has been received by the Estates Commissioners. An inspection has been made of 187 acres of untenanted land on the Crown estate, in the neighbourhood referred to, and the Commissioners furnished the trustees with a preliminary estimate of the amount which they would be prepared to advance for the purchase of the lands if formal proceedings for sale to the Commissioners were instituted by the trustees, who have not yet instituted such proceedings.
§ 83. Mr. DUFFYasked the Chief Secretary if Lord Clonbrock offered for sale to the Estates Commissioners that section of his property described as the Quansborough estate, in Mulla, county Galway; has the Abbey Goomican farm, included in the Quansborough estate, been acquired; and, if not, having regard to the number of small holdings in the district and the fact that a memorial, signed by seventy tenants, was sent to the Commissioners asking them to acquire this farm, will he represent to the Estates Commissioners the desirability of reopening negotiations with Lord Clonbrock, with a view of taking over this farm in the interest of the small farmers of the district?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question 2656 on this subject on the 13th November last, to which I have nothing to add.