114. Mr. WILLIAM REDMONDasked why the eight tenants in Cappabane, on the estate of Mr. Donat Sampson, who signed agreements for the purchase of their holding's twelve months ago, have not been accepted by the Commissioners the same as adjoining tenants on the same property whose farms have now all been vested and the sale completed, the tenants being still compelled to pay the old rents?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe estate referred to, with the exception of the holdings situate on the townlands of Cappaghbaun Mountains, and the Cappaghbaun Park, has been sold by the Land Judge to the Estates Commissioners under the provisions of Section 7 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, and undertakings have been signed by the tenants for the purchase of their holdings from the Commissioners under the Land Purchase Acts. The tenants on the two townlands referred to did not sign undertakings for the purchase of their holdings, and the lands could not be included in the lands sold to the Commissioners. If these tenants now enter into undertakings for the purchase of their holdings a supplemental offer for the purchase of these lands by the Commissioners will be issued to the Land Judge.
§ 120. Mr. FFRENCHasked if Section 30 of the Land Act of 1909 makes provision for the granting of loans to tenant purchasers at 3½ per cent. for the erection of suitable dwelling-houses; and how much money the Estates Commissioners have advanced to tenant purchasers under this Section?
§ Mr. BIRRELLUnder Sections 12 and 43 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, the Estates Commissioners were enabled, when dealing with estates, the subject of proceedings before them under the Land Purchase Acts, to expend money for the benefit or improvement of such estates. It was, however, judicially decided that in the case of sale by owners direct to tenants the Commissioners had not the power which they have in the case of estates purchased by them to recover payment of such expenditure as part of the advance to the purchasing tenants, and Section 30 of the Act of 1909 was passed to recover such expenditure in direct sales. The amount so repayable under Section 30 to date is £9,543.
§ 121. Mr. FFRENCHasked the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that the Irish Board of Works will not advance to a purchasing tenant for the purpose of improving his holding, erecting buildings, etc., more than five times the valuation of that holding; and, seeing that the tenants on the Ely estate who require new dwelling-houses are all under £20 valuation, will he say how they are to procure sufficient money from the Board to enable them to build new dwelling-houses?
§ Mr. MONTAGUTenant purchasers whose holdings have been vested in them can borrow from the Board of Works up to five times their valuation, provided the Board is satisfied with the security. I have no information as to the valuation of the holdings on the Ely estate or as to the existing dwellings, but I may point out that loans are often made for part of the cost of an improvement.