§ Mr. SHEEHANasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that, on the Second Beading of the Labourers (Ireland) Bill, 1906, the belief was expressed by the Chief Secretary of the day that the measure would hold out the hope to the labourer of bettering his condition, of being able to save, to improve his position by the exercise of industry and intelligence, and to take the position of a tenant farmer and then acquire a holding under the Land Purchase Act; whether a clause giving effect to this policy was embodied in the Bill and passed into law; how many labourers have had their condition thus improved by getting parcels of untenanted land and being raised to the position of tenant purchasers; and can he give the names of the estates, the counties in which they are situate, and the number of labourers in each instance who have benefited under Clause 19 of the Act?
§ Mr. BIRRELL:I believe it is the fact that my predecessor expressed a belief that the Labourers Act of 1906 might have the results indicated in the question. Under Section 19 of that Act fifty-five parcels of untenanted land have been allotted by the Estates Commissioners to labourers. The persons to whom allotments have been made under Section 2 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, also worked in many cases as labourers, but are not separately classified as such. Full particulars as to all allotments vested in purchasers are given in the Monthly Returns of Advances, which are presented to Parliament.