§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked how many years the Estates Commissioners are in arrear with estates lodged for sales under the Land Purchase (Ireland) Act, 1903; and can he state in how many years the balance of the estates lodged for sale, amounting to some £30,000,000, will be disposed of at the present rate of progress?
§ Mr. BIRRELLProvided that their requirements as to title and other matters are complied with and the lands are declared fit to be regarded as "estates" for the purposes of the Irish Land Act, 1903, the Estates Commissioners expect to be in a position to advance during the current financial year the purchase money on all estates at present pending under that Act on the register of Direct Sales (part money, part stock), and on the register of Direct Sales (all stock). As regards estates on the principal register of Direct Sales pending under the Act of 1903, the vendors of which have decided to await their priority on such register for payment in all cash, the Commissioners will be advancing during the current financial year, on compliance with the requirements as to title and other matters, and provided the lands are declared fit to be regarded as "estates" for the purposes of sale, the purchase money of estates in which the purchase agreements were lodged during the year 1907. The Commissioners are not at present in a position to estimate when the residue of the estates on this Principal Register of Direct Sales which were lodged on or before the 15th September, 1909, will be disposed of, as this will depend not only on the amount of money which may be available during each financial year, but also on the number of vendors on such register who may elect each year, under the Act of 1909, to accept payment either wholly or partly in 2¾ per cent. Stock, but each estate when reached will be dealt with as rapidly as practicable.
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§ Mr. HACKETTasked whether the owner, Henry J. Butler-Lloyd, or the trustees of the estate, situated at Lloyds-borough, Killea, and Coolcormack, Templemore, county Tipperary, has offered the estate, including the evicted farm at Coolcormack, for sale to the Estates Commissioners; whether they propose to repurchase under the Land Act, 1903, the evicted farm at Coolcormack, in addition to the home farm; and what steps the Estates Commissioners propose to take in reference to the evicted farm?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate is the subject of proceedings by the owner direct to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and it is not being sold to the Estates Commissioners. If the farm referred to in the second part of the question was at one time held by the late Richard Quinn, and subsequently held by Joseph Dwyer, the Commissioners have decided not to take any action in the matter of the application of Richard Quinn's representatives for reinstatement. The farm in question has been sold in parcels by the owner to purchasers under Section 2 of the said Act,