§ Mr. NOLANasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Miss Margaret Farrell and Mr. T. Corry, of Mell, Drogheda, county Louth, made application for the purchase of their holdings on the Singleton estate to the Estates Commissioners; whether he will explain why their application was refused; whether one of the applicants has been served with notice to quit by the middleman for making this application; if so, whether any action can be taken by the Commissioners to prevent the eviction and to extend the right to purchase to the sub-tenant; whether he will say if a bonus was paid to the land- 2633W lord on the sale of the estate; whether all the agricultural land on the same has been sold to the tenants; and, if not, whether steps can be taken to have the sale carried out?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners have inquired into the cases of the sub-tenants on this estate, and in the exercise of their discretion have decided not to declare Margaret Farrell and T. Corry to be direct tenants, under Section 15 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, of the lands in their occupation as sub-tenants. The Commissioners have no power to interfere in the matter of the legal proceedings referred to. The agricultural lands on this estate have been sold and vested in the purchasing tenants, and all moneys, including the bonus, paid to the persons entitled thereto.