17. Mr. COSGRAVEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that, with eight exceptions, all the planters on the Clanricarde estate in the Portumna district have been compensated for their interest in their holdings by the Congested Districts Board; if he will state the cause of the delay in dealing with the cases of those eight, namely, Messrs. A. G. Elliott, J. Clarke, H. Nesbitt, Edward Horseman, Michael Fitzgerald, P. Shaughnessy, the representatives of F. B. Drury, and Mrs. John Horseman; and whether, in the interest of the peace of the district, he will consider the desirability of the Board not making exceptions in dealing with such cases?
§ Mr. DUKEThe Congested Districts Board inform me that they have arranged terms of voluntary surrender of forty-one holdings on the Clanricarde estate, and failed to come to terms for the surrender of nine holdings. Some of these nine tenants hold under judicial tenancies. The Board have no power to resume possession of land for the purpose of reinstating evicted tenants. As regards the persons named in the question, the Board have recently come to terms with the representatives of F. B. Drury, and have served notice to quit on the tenant of one holding whose land they require for the relief of congestion, and they have still hopes that they may be able to come to a voluntary settlement with some of the others.
18. Mr. COSGRAVEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Congested Districts Board have taken any steps to take over possession of the grazing (non-resident) holdings on the Clanricarde estate, county Galway, situate in the parishes of Portumna, Killimore, Eyrecourt., Meelick, Lawrence-town, Clontuskert, and Quansboro; whether he is aware that the holdings referred to are held on bogus leases which were given at the time the Act was being passed to compulsorily acquire the estate mentioned in order that the graziers, who up to that time held these farms on the eleven months' system, could evade the Act; and whether, in the event of nothing 1839 being done, he will state the reasons, if any, why the Board have not put into operation an Act of Parliament which has been specially passed to deal with congestion on this estate?
§ Mr. DUKEThe Congested Districts Board inform me that they do not understand what the hon. Member means by "the grazing (non-resident) holdings." The Board have obtained possession of all lands on the Clanricarde estate which were held under grazing lettings, but there are many holdings on the estate on which the tenants do not reside, and which are held under judicial and other forms of tenure, and used solely or mainly for grazing. The Board have decided to exercise such powers as they possess for the purpose of obtaining possession of all or any of thes3 holdings required for the relief of congestion, and accordingly have served notices to quit on some of the tenants who appear to hold under future tenancies. They propose to take proceedings to resume possession of such of the holdings as they have power to resume, and have expressed their willingness to come to terms with any of the tenants of these holdings. They have no power to resume possession of lands held under lease, and have no information as to whether there are any bogus leases on the estate. The Board are not aware of any special Act of Parliament having been passed in connection with the Clanricarde estate, and are dealing with the estate as promptly as they can, having regard to their commitments in respect of other estates.