§ Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary if he will state the whole of the net deductions from Treasury grants to each county and other council in Ireland in respect of default and losses connected with land purchase, and not made good to those councils, from 1903 to the present time?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThere are no statistics available which would enable me to state the net result of the losses and subsequent recovery of some of the losses over the period mentioned.
§ Mr. HACKETTasked the Chief Secretary whether he can state what steps the Estates Commissioners propose to take in reference to the report of their inspector on the sale of the town portion of the Pennefeather Hare estate, at Ballingarry, county Tipperary; whether the town tenants have made an offer to purchase the town portion of the estate; and whether he can state when the agricultural portion will be dealt with and the purchase money paid over to the vendor?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate is not being sold to the Estates Commissioners but direct to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and the purchase money has been advanced to the vendor in respect of the holdings of the agricultural tenants who signed purchase agreements. No purchase agreements have been lodged in respect of the town holdings in Ballingarry, a number of which are apparently sublet. The Commissioners are not aware whether the occupying tenants of these holdings have come to an agreement with the owner, but, if purchase agreements signed by the parties are lodged under the Land2570W Purchase Acts, the Commissioners will be prepared to advance the amount they consider secured on the site of the premises, provided the tenants pay in cash the difference between such sums and the agreed prices.
§ Mr. HACKETTasked the Chief Secretary whether the vendors of the estate of Ellen L. Cambie and another, county Tipperary, E.C., 8,913, have informed the Estates Commissioners of their willingness to accept the Estates Commissioners' proposal to purchase the estate; and whether he can state when the estate will be dealt with and the untenanted lands acquired by the Commissioners?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe estate of Ellen L. Cambie and another, county Tipperary, comprises one evicted holding of some eighty-three acres. The owner has accepted the offer of the Estates Commissioners for these lands, and it is proposed to reinstate the evicted tenant.
§ Mr. GILHOOLYasked the Chief Secretary what is the cause of the delay in vesting the holdings in Dursey Island, on the Leigh White estate, in the tenants, seeing that the purchase agreements were lodged with the Estates Commissioners in 1905 and that the tenants are paying 4 per cent. on the purchase money; and will he again direct the attention of the Estates Commissioners to this island?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI have nothing to add to my reply to a similar question asked by the hon. Member on the 24th February.