§ Mr. DORISasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the townlands of Drummeenavadoge and Turloughaganny were included in the purchase by the Congested Districts Board of the estate of Anthony MacDermott and others, county Mayo; and what claim, if any, Mr. George Acton, of Bridgemount, has asserted in respect of those townlands?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe lands referred to were not included in the estate of A. J. MacDermott and others purchased by the Congested Districts Board.
§ Mr. LYNCHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that in regard to the Birchfield estate of William H. M'Grath, situated near Lahinch, county Clare, Mr. Justice Ross refused to sanction the sale of the estate at the price offered by the Congested Districts Board; and whether he can indicate what solution of the difficulty will be adopted?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe answer to the first paragraph of the question is in the affirmative. The Congested Districts Board have recently received a letter from the solicitor having carriage of the sale of the estate asking the Board if they will increase their offer. The matter will be considered by the Board at their next meeting.
§ Mr. LYNCHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that in the district of Doolin, West Clare, there are some 200 uneconomic holders such as would be entitled to benefit under the Land Act of 1909, but that, on account of the delay in putting into operation in this locality the provisions of that Land Act, many of the young men are emigrating, while thousands of acres of available land are let under the eleven months' system; and whether he can state when the Congested Districts Board intend to deal with the estate in question?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have had this matter under consideration, and it will not be lost sight of.
§ Sir JOHN LONSDALEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the Return standing in the name of the hon. Member for Mid-Armagh for the purpose of enabling a reliable estimate to be formed as to the possible extent of future commitments for the completion of land purchase in Ireland will be granted?
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§ Mr. BIRRELLThe most recent estimate of lands unsold under the Irish Land Purchase Acts prepared by the Estates Commissioners from the information at their disposal is that contained in Parliamentary Paper, Cd. 6130, of 1912. The Return moved for by the hon. Member would necessitate detailed inquiry into the cases of over a quarter of a million of rent paying tenants. The Return would be very costly, and it is estimated would run to about 5,000 pages, and by the time it could be completed would be considerably out of date. In these circumstances I do not think it would be desirable to grant the Return.
§ Mr. DORISasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if his attention has been called to the published statement of Mr. Land Commissioner Lynch, at a recent meeting of the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland, that the results of the financial provisions of the Land Act of 1909, in so far as they are intended to accelerate the conversion of occupying tenants of agricultural and pastoral holdings into owners, have not been a success; that the main difficulty was financial; that there should be no restriction, as at present, by Treasury Rules upon the annual amount of stock to be raised or advances to be made in any one year; that funds for advances should be available according as the Land Commission is in a position to make them; and whether, having regard to the dissatisfaction caused throughout the congested districts by the slowness of land purchase, he will take steps to ensure that the beneficent intentions of the Land Act of 1909 shall no longer be frustrated by the Treasury Rules referred to?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI have seen a newspaper report of the statement referred to in the question. The rate of land purchase in the congested districts has not been affected by any regulations as to the issue of stock, as the cash required by the Congested Districts Board in connection with their operations under the Land Acts of 1903 and 1909 has always been available as required.