§ Mr. SHEEHANasked the Chief Secretary whether the Goold-Verschoyle estate, Athea, county Limerick, has been vested in the tenants; whether, in that event, the untenanted land on the estate has been absolutely acquired by the Estates Commissioners, and when and how do they propose to divide it amongst the labourers and uneconomic holders of the district; and can he state the number of each class amongst whom it will be apportioned?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe tenanted portion of this estate was the subject of direct sale proceedings from the owner to the tenants under Section 1 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, and the holdings were vested in the purchasing tenants on the 1st July. The Estates Commissioners had a preliminary inspection made of the untenanted land, which is being sold to them under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, for purposes of distribution, and communicated to the owner their estimate of the amount which they would be prepared to advance for its purchase, and the owner has expressed his willingness to accept this price. The Commissioners will deal with this portion of the estate as soon as practiable, but no scheme for the distribution of the lands has yet been prepared.