§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Estates Commissioners have entered into negotiations with the representative Church body for the purchase of the lands of Newrath, Kells, county Meath; how far the negotiations have proceeded; and whether he can state if the lands are likely to be distributed this year?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners have entered into negotiations for the purchase of the lands referred to, and the owners have instituted formal proceedings for their sale. They will be dealt with as soon as possible in priority, but it is not probable that their turn will be reached this year.
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§ Mr. JOHNasked whether the Chief Secretary is in a position to state the total amount expended up to 31st March last upon the purchase of land in Ireland under the various existing Land Purchase Acts, and the further amount involved in contracts entered into on that date but not completed?
Mr. BIRR ELLThe amounts advanced for land purchase under the different Acts up to the 31st March, 1911, were as follows:—
£ Act of 1870 518,933 Act of 1881 240,801 Acts of 1885–8 9,992,536 Acts of 1891–6 13,145,817 Acts of 1903–9 (by Estates Commissioners) 41,301,213 By Land Commission (other than Estates Commissioners) 1,364,794 Labourers (Ireland) Act, 1906 3,111,816 £69,675,910 The amounts applied for but not yet advanced on the same date were:—
Acts of 1903–9: £ By Estates Commissioners 46,387,249 By Land Commission (other than Estates Commissioners 93,111 Labourers (Ireland) Act, 1906 1,138,184 Total 47,618,544 These figures include advances to the Congested Districts Board for the purchase of estates, but exclude the advances made on resales by them to purchasers, in which case such last mentioned advances are-written off the Board's liability. In addition to the figures given above the Congested Districts Board have arranged for the purchase of estates in respect of which advances will be made to the amount of £517,836.