§ 26 and 27. Mr. LYNCHasked the Home Secretary (1) whether, in regard to the Tiermanagh farm, Kelly-Kenny estate, West Clare, the Congested Districts Board will take note of public sentiment in the locality and act in accordance with the spirit and intention of the Land Act, 1909, and now proceed to divide the land for the benefit of the congests on the estate and not for the benefit of a farmer who has had no interest in this farm, who already possesses three substantial holdings, and whose case could be otherwise dealt with; and (2) whether, in reference to the division of the Tiermanagh farm, Kelly-Kenny estate, West Clare, he is aware that M'Mahon, the farmer to whom the block in dispute was given, is an unmarried man of middle age who previously had no interest in the farm, and that those 1336 who were excluded were some of them married men with families of the type indicated in the Land Act of 1909; and whether, in view of local allegations of favouritism, he will order a public inquiry into the whole transaction?
Mr. SAMUELThe facts regarding this case were explained at length in my reply to the hon. Member's questions on the 6th instant. The Congested Districts Board are aware that M'Mahon is an unmarried man, but they are of opinion that the exchange of land which they arranged with him enabled them to do much more for the relief of congestion in the neighbourhood of the land vacated by him than they could have done by the distribution of the land given to him in connection with Doolough Lodge. They are satisfied that they have made the best arrangements in the interest of the relief of congestion and that they have acted in accordance with the spirit and intentions of the Land Acts.