§ 10. Mr. O'DOWDasked whether negotiations for the purchase by the Congested Districts Board of the estate of the MacDermott, situated at Monasteredin, Ballaghadereen, county Sligo, have yet been completed; and, if so, whether the terms include the taking over of the untenanted lands adjoining this congested estate which are held by the landlord?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have recently made an offer for the purchase of the estate of the MacDermott at Monasteredin which has not yet been accepted, but negotiations are proceeding. The land referred to as untenanted in the adjoining townland of Stroove is let in parcels on lease. It has not been offered for sale through the Board.
§ 11. Mr. DUFFYasked whether agreements to purchase their holdings have been signed by the agricultural tenants of Lady Katherine Trench on her estate, situate at 566 Ruanmore, Ardrahan, county Galway; whether the agreements were signed contingent on the untenanted lands on the estate in the Ruanmore district being sold to the Estate Commissioners; and whether a request to purchase the untenanted lands has been served on the Commissioners by the representatives of Lady Trench; and have the agreements been filed with the Estates Commissioners?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe tenants have entered into agreements for the purchase of their holdings direct from the owner under the Land Purchase Acts, and these agreements have been lodged in the Land Commission. They do not contain any condition such as that referred to in the question, but the owners have furnished the Estates Commissioners with particulars of the untenanted land, with a view to being furnished with an estimate of the sum which the Commissioners would be prepared to advance for it under the Land Purchase Acts.
§ 12 and 13. Mr. DELANYasked (1) when the Kirk estate, Castletown, Queen's County, will be finally dealt with by the Estates Commissioners; whether discontent exists amongst a large body of the tenants with regard to the proposed distribution of the bog, the allegation being that their rights have been usurped in the interest of one man; will the Estates Commissioners instruct their inspector to see justice done to the tenants on this estate, who have already memorialised them on the question of their turoary rights; and (2) whether Mr. Franks, the agent on the Kirk estate, Castletown, Queen's County, advertised the turf banks for letting on the 20th June last, and on that date attended with a bog ranger and let the turf banks at his own free will, regardless of the rights of the great body of the tenants on the property; and, seeing that agreements to purchase have been entered into between the landlord and tenants in which their turbary rights have been secured to the tenants, whether the Estates Commissioners are prepared to sanction this proceeding on the part of the agent?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate is the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903. Included in the lands for sale is a large area of turbary, all of which the vendor is willing to give free of charge for distribution amongst the tenants and small holders in the locality, but up to 567 the present the tenants have failed to agree to any scheme of allotment, and until this is done the Commissioners will not vest the holdings in the purchasing tenants. The Commissioners have no information as to the individual who is alleged to have usurped the tenants' rights. They have no power to interfere with any arrangements which the vendor may make or has made for the letting of the turbary in his own hands pending the completion of the sale of the property.