§ 5. Mr. GINNELLasked the right hon. Gentleman whether the Estates Commissioners undertake to reinstate within the present year all the outstanding evicted tenants, including representatives, noted by them as entitled to reinstatement whose farms are untenanted; if not, whether he will provide in the forthcoming Land Purchase Bill for their reinstatement this year; and, if not, what he proposes to do for the persons who, though entitled, are not to be reinstated in either of those ways?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe applications of evicted tenants for reinstatement which have been provisionally approved and whom the Estates Commissioners on further consideration deem suitable to work holdings will be dealt with as rapidly as practicable, but it is not possible for them to give any undertaking such as that asked for by the hon. Member. As the hon. Member has already been informed, the fact that a person applies for a holding as an evicted tenant does not entitle him to a farm.
§ Mr. GINNELLThe right hon. Gentleman has omitted to answer the question whether, if the Estates Commissioners are unable to restore these people this year, he will provide for them in the Bill he is now preparing?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo, Sir, I can hold out no promise of that kind.
§ Mr. GINNELLDoes the right hon. Gentleman undertake that these people, after waiting ten years, will be restored this year?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI cannot give any undertaking of that sort. The Estates Commissioners have the whole job—and it is a very difficult task—in their hands, and they will do the best they can in the hope that these persons may all be restored.
§ Mr. GINNELLDo the Commissioners say that they will ever be able to restore these people?
§ Mr. BIRRELLYes, Sir, I think they do.
§ 19. Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked the Chief Secretary how many of the 303 evicted tenants still to be dealt with belong respectively to the various provinces; and will he now give the names of the Cavan evicted tenants included in the 303, and state in how many cases their applications set out that their evicted holdings are in the landlords' hands?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe figures by provinces are: Ulster 69, Leinster 38, Connaught 99, Munster 97. The number of applicants in county Cavan who have been provisionally noted for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land acquired by the Estates Commissioners and who have not yet been provided with holdings is seven, and in all these cases applicants' former holdings appear to be in the occupation of other tenants. It would be contrary to the practice of the Commissioners to give a list of those provisionally noted as requested by the hon. Member.