§ Mr. DANIEL BOYLEasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland what steps have been or are being-taken by the Congested Districts Board to acquire the estate of General Clive, Ballycroy, county Mayo; if he is aware that of the 20,000 acres said to be comprised in this estate by far the greater and the most fertile part is devoted to grazing purposes, whilst hundreds of persons, tenants and their families, are hemmed in and huddled together on barren mountain patches under miserable and uneconomic conditions on the remainder of the estate; and, under these circumstances, will he urge on the Congested Districts Board the need to expedite the acquisition of this estate and the early distribution of the grazing tracts amongst the tenantry?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe maps and other documents necessary to enable the Congested Districts Board to have an inspection made of the property referred to, with a view to deciding whether they will make an offer for purchase, have been received. The estate will be inspected as soon as practicable, and the Board will then decide whether they will make an offer for purchase.
§ Mr. J. P. FARRELLasked whether any further progress had been made towards the acquirement of the lands of Monedarragh or Strokestown, county Longford; whether any inspection has been made; and when it is expected that these lands will be available for distribution?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners have had an inspection made of the untenanted lands of Monedarragh, on the 1727W estate of J. W. Bond, county Longford, and have communicated to the owner their estimate of the price which they would be prepared to advance for them. The owner has expressed his willingness to accept this price, and the estate will be dealt with in order of priority.
§ Mr. FRANCIS MEEHANasked how many estates the Congested Districts Board has purchased in the county of Leitrim, the area and prices of same, tenanted and untenanted; how many estates have been offered for sale to the Board, area tenanted and untenanted, prices in cash, and stocks in same, in county Leitrim, how many estates the Board has purchased in the counties of Roscommon, Galway, Sligo, Clare, and Kerry, area tenanted and untenanted, and prices in cash and stocks?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have purchased three estates in the county Leitrim with an area of 6,260 acres (tenanted), 3,590 acres (untenanted). Price, £29,271 stock and £11,598 cash. Thirteen other estates in county Leitrim have been offered to the Board under the Act of 1909, with an area, of 4,421 acres (tenanted) and 1,121 (untenanted). The Board are not yet in a position to state what the purchase prices will be. The following tables give the particulars asked for with regard to the five other counties mentioned:—
ESTATES PURCHASED UNDER ACT OF 1909. County. No. of Estates Purchased. Area (Tenanted). Area (Untenanted). Purchases Price. Cash. Stock. £ £ Roscommon … … 15 10,222 6,792 93,661 49,273 Galway … … 30 31,479 20,820 183,746 63,924 Sligo … … 4 5,626 3,313 7,974 25,065 Clare … … 9 3,651 2,680 10,876 30,379 Kerry … … 6 76,761 9,409 8,572 229,645
ESTATES PURCHASED PRIOR TO ACT OF 1909. County. No. of Estates Purchased. Area (Tenanted). Area (Untenanted). Total Purchase Price paid in cash. £ Roscommon … … 33 49,072 22,680 609,877 Galway … … 45 21,738 17,804 257,256 Sligo … … 10 11,047 3,992 118,167 Clare … … — — — — Kerry … … 11 41,955 1,998 147,692