§ Mr. O'SHEEasked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners are aware that Mr. Mathew Neville O'Brien, 1662W of Ahavine, Ballymacoda, county Cork, signed a purchase agreement on the estate of John Gubbins there, which was lodged about two years ago for the purchase by him of his residential holding of about 200 acres; whether they are aware that Mr. Neville O'Brien holds 140 acres of un-tenanted land under fee farm grant at Shanacoole, county Waterford, and also about 160 acres let to several tenants at Shanacoole, to whom he has refused to sell their holdings; whether the Estates Commissioners will make inquiries with a view to the acquisition of the 140 acres of untenanted land for evicted tenants, a large number of whom in the locality are still unprovided with holdings; and whether they will inform the hon. Member for West Waterford of the result of their inquiry?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo agreement signed by Mr. M. N. O'Brien for the purchase of a holding on the estate of John Gubbins has been lodged with the Estates Commissioners, but an agreement for the purchase of 169 acres held by a Nora K. Neville O'Brien of the estate of F. J. B. Gubbins has been lodged and will be cansidered when the estate is being dealt with in order of priority. The Commissioners are not aware of the facts stated in the second paragraph of the question, and Mr. O'Brien's name does not appear in the Return of Untenanted Land presented to Parliament in 1906 as the occupier of Tin-tenanted land at Shanacoole.