§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will state whether any land sales under the Irish Land Act of 1909 have been completed and the money paid to the vendors; will he say whether sales under this Act are being given precedence over sales of estates in which the purchase agreements were filed prior to September 1909?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that £479,927 has been advanced in direct sales between vendors and tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1909. In addition advances amounting to £171,045 have been made under the same Act for the purchase of estates by the1308W Estates Commissioners and the Congested Districts Board. Sales under the Irish Land Act, 1909, are dealt with independently of sales under the Act of 1903 in accordance with regulations as to priority made under Section 4 of the former Act.
§ Mr. HACKETTasked the Chief Secretary whether he can state when the estate of R. A. M'Namara, No. M 211, situated at Ballydavid, Littleton, county Tipperary, will be dealt with by the Estates Commissioners; and whether he can state what steps the Estates Commissioners will take to arrange a sale between the owners and those tenants who have declined to purchase their holdings on the ground of price?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate is the subject of proceedings for sale under the Irish Land Act, 1903, direct by the vendor to the tenants. The estate is one of those to be dealt with during the present financial year, and the Estates Commissioners hope to make the advances and vest the holdings in the purchasing tenants during the next few months. Certain tenants have refused to purchase at prices which the Commissioners consider fair, and until purchase agreements have been lodged in their cases their holdings cannot be included in the sale.