HC Deb 13 February 1911 vol 21 cc832-4W
Mr. VINCENT KENNEDY

asked the Chief Secretary if he would take the neces- sary steps to have the Evicted Tenants (Ireland) Act, 1907, included in the schedule to the Expiring Laws Continuance Act of 1911?

Mr. BIRRELL

The question of including the Evicted Tenants (Ireland) Act (1907) in the schedule to the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill of this year will be considered before the Bill is introduced.

Mr. HUGH LAW

asked the Chief Secretary if he can state the cause of the delay in reinstating Mr. Daniel McIlwaine, of Knocknabollin, Termon, county Donegal, an evicted tenant, whose case has been before the Estates Commissioners for some months?

Mr. BIRRELL

The Estates Commissioners inform me that they have received an application from Daniel McIlwaine for reinstatement in a holding on the estate of the Earl of Leitrim from which he was evicted, and it has been noted for consideration when this estate is the subject of proceedings for sale under the Land Purchase Acts.

Mr. SHEEHAN

asked the Chief Secretary if he could state the number of evicted tenants whose claims are still awaiting consideration by the Estates Commissioners; is he aware that discontent exists amongst these owing to the delay in providing them with suitable homes and parcels of land; have certain representations been made to him on the matter by county councils and other public bodies in Ireland; and, seeing that the period for which the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, was passed expires this year, will he state what are the intentions of the Government in regard to future legislation on the subject?

Mr. BIRRELL

If the hon. Member will refer to the last Report of the Estates Commissioners he will find that out of 12,011 applications received up to 31st March, 1910, from evicted tenants for reinstatement in their holdings, 798 had been provisionally noted by the Commissioners for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land, 201 were noted for consideration when the estates are being sold under the Land Purchase Acts, and 2,290 applications received subsequent to the 1st May, 1907, had not been dealt with. The Commissioners have received resolutions from various public bodies on the subject of the reinstatement of evicted tenants. As regards the last paragraph, the question of including the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907, in the schedule to the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill of this year will be considered before the Bill is introduced.