§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Chief Secretary what steps, if any, the Estates Commissioners have recently taken to acquire the untenanted lands of Ballylin and Glenville, Ardagh, county Limerick, on the Massey estate, to relieve congestion on the estate?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners had a preliminary inspection made, and intimated the price they would be prepared to advance if the lands were sold to them under the Land Purchase Acts. Up to the present the2264W owner has not instituted proceedings for sale, and, until he does so, the Commissioners will not proceed further in the matter.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have entered into any negotiations with the landlord to purchase the Dixon property at Creeves, Shanagolden, county Limerick, containing tenanted and untenanted lands; and, if so, what has been the result of them?
§ Mr. BIRRELLProceedings for sale to the Estates Commissioners under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, of the lands referred to have been recently instituted by the owner, and the estate will be dealt with in order of priority.
§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Chief Secretary what is the position of Patrick Leahy, of Shannon View, Olin, county Limerick, with regard to the purchase of his holding on the estate of the Knight of Glin, having regard to the fact that he with the other tenants on the property have signed their agreements to purchase; will the fact that his two sub-tenants refused to sign the agreements to purchase their holdings debar him from being included in the sale; and what will the position of the sub-tenants be provided they still refuse to sign the purchase agreements?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners have requested that agreements for the purchase of the land in the occupation of the sub-tenants be signed by the sub-tenants at prices fixed by the Commissioners, but up to the present such agreements have not been lodged. The question as to what action the Commissioners will take if either one or both the subtenants refuse to sign such agreements has not been considered by the Commissioners, but it will be open to them to vest the entire holding in the direct tenant in the event of both sub-tenants refusing to sign, or if one of these tenants sign to vest in such sub-tenant the portion of the holding in his occupation, and to vest the rest of the holding in the direct tenant in which case the non-signing sub-tenant would continue as heretofore as sub-tenant of the lands in his occupation, or the Commissioners may dismiss the proceedings for the sale of the holding under the Land Purchase Acts.