§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Blake estate, situate at Cormeen, Moynalty, county Meath, has been offered for sale to the Estates Commissioners; and what action has been taken?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate is the subject of proceedings in the Land Judge's Court, and the Estates Commissioners have forwarded a request to the Land Judge, under Section 7 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, with respect to it. They understand that the particulars and documents-necessary to enable them to make an offer for the purchase of this estate will shortly be lodged with them, when the matter will be further considered by the Commissioners.
§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the Chief Secretary whether he will state if purchase agreements have been lodged on behalf of a tenant named David Farrell, on the Nicholson estate, near Carlanstown, Kells, county Meath; whether the same tenant has already received advances for the purchase of other holdings; and whether the Estates Commissioners will have an 1753W inquiry instituted, and a Return issued, giving the various amounts advanced or applied for by this tenant and the respective estates upon which he applied?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo agreement signed by a tenant named David Farrell for the purchase of his holding on this estate has been lodged with the Estates Commissioners. An agreement signed by a J. P. Farrell has, however, been lodged, in which it is stated that he has not applied for or obtained any advances for the purchase of any other land under the Land Purchase Acts.
§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked whether the Estates Commissioners will, before sanctioning advances for the purchase of the Headfort estate, county Meath, consider the application of the residents of Kells for an advance to purchase their houses in the town held from the same landlord?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThere are three estates of the Marquis of Headfort pending for sale direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act (1903). The Estates Commissioners are not in a position at present to say whether it would be possible to make any advances in respect of the town holdings in the event of the parties agreeing as to terms, and lodging purchase agreements in respect of them.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland if he will state what steps have been taken by the Congested Districts Board to acquire the Brereton estate, comprising the townland of Carrowpadden and the village of Easkey, county Sligo; and what is the present state of the negotiations?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have been in communication with the owner of the estate referred to, but it has not so far been offered for sale through them.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary if he will explain on what grounds the Congested Districts Board have demanded one year's rent from the tenants of the Palmer estate, county Sligo, before the terms of sale have been settled between the Board and the tenants, and the rights of the tenants defined as to turbary and other matters?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe rents are being collected by the Congested Districts Board in1754W accordance with the terms of the agreement entered into between the Board and the owner pending the legal vesting of the estate in the Board.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board have had offers from the proprietors of the Brinkley and Worthington estates, situated near Easkey, county Sligo, for the sale of these estates to the Board; and when he expects the sale to be completed and the resale to the tenants carried out?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe estates referred to have been offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board, and a decision will be arrived at regarding purchase as soon as practicable. If terms are agreed upon for the purchase of these properties the resale to the tenants will be carried out without avoidable delay, but prior to resale to the tenants a considerable time will first be occupied in carrying out improvements.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked if he will state what estates in county Sligo have been purchased by the Congested Districts Board since the passing of the Land Act of 1909; and also the estates which have been offered for sale to the Board and those which the proprietors have refused to sell to the Board, giving in each case the name of the proprietor and the local name of the estate and, where purchase has been effected, the terms of purchase?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe information asked for is not available, and could not be procured without an expenditure of time and labour out of all proportion to its public utility.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary if he will state whether the tenants on the Percival estate, county Sligo, have approached the Congested Districts Board with a request that the Board should purchase this estate; whether the Board are negotiating with the proprietor; and, if so, when is the sale likely to be completed and the land re-sold to the tenants?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe tenants on the estate referred to have approached the Congested Districts Board with a view to the purchase of the property by them. The Board have communicated with the agent of the property, but so far it has not been offered for sale through them.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board have been applied to by the tenants in Lower Rosses and district, county 1755W Sligo, with a request for the purchase of the Middleton estate for the relief of the acute congestion which prevails in the district; whether he is aware of the fact that the tenants who desire to have this estate purchased have at present holdings ranging from three to five and a-half acres; and whether he can state what steps the Board will take in order to have these uneconomic holdings enlarged and the estate purchased?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have received memorials from the tenants regarding the estate referred to. The Board have been in communication with the owner, but the estate has not so far been offered for sale through them. Further inquiries will be made in this case.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware of the negotiations for a sale proceeding between the tenants of the Tottenham estate, Easkey, county Sligo, and the Congested Districts Board and the proprietor, Colonel Tottenham, of Ballycurry, county Wicklow; whether Colonel Tottenham has refused to sell it to the Board; whether there is part of this estate in the occupation of bailiffs comprising uncultivated land which might be made available for the tenants of small uneconomic holdings; and whether, in the circumstances of this case, the Board intend to put into operation the compulsory provisions of the Act of 1909, so as to force a direct sale by Colonel Tottenham to the Board?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have been approached by the tenants of the estate referred to, with a view to the purchase of the estate by them, and have communicated with Colonel Tottenham on the subject.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board have yet sent a valuer to the Streedagh estate, Grange, county Sligo; and if he can state when the purchase negotiations are likely to be completed and carried through and the untenanted portion of the estate divided up amongst the tenants?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board inform me that the inspection of the It. W. Jones estate, Streedagh, has been commenced, but has not yet been completed. The purchase of the property will be considered by the Board as soon as practicable, and if terms of purchase are1756W agreed upon the untenanted land on the estate will be distributed without avoidable delay.
§ Mr. LYNCHasked the Chief Secretary whether he can state the progress of negotiations in regard to the small estate in West Clare of which the owner is Francis O'Donnell, now resident in New Zealand, and the agent, Charles O'Keane, Hermitage, Ennis, county Clare; and whether steps will be taken, in view of the unanimous desire of the tenants for a settlement on a reasonable basis, to expedite this matter?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have been in communication with the agent of the estate referred to, and are giving the matter their attention.
§ Mr. DUFFYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the Loughrea section of the Earl of Clan-carty's estate was purchased by the tenants four years ago; that the purchase agreements were signed by the tenants on the understanding that the Grallagh, Dalys-town, grazing farm would be handed over to the Estates Commissioners for distribution amongst the tenants on the estate; and whether he can state when the Commissioners expect to be able to deal with this estate, with a view to allay the great anxiety in this district?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIf the hon. Member refers to the estate of the Earl of Clancarty situated near the town of Loughrea, it is not being purchased by the tenants from the owner, but is the subject of proceedings for sale to the Estates Commissioners under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903. The lands of Grallagh are not on this property, but 265 acres of the lands of Aille are included in the sale to the Commissioners, and this may be the farm referred to by the hon. Member. The estate will be dealt with in its order of priority, but the Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when it will be reached.
§ Mr. HORNERasked the Chief Secretary if he will state, approximately, the amount of land in each county in the hands of the Congested Districts Board which was not divided or allotted at the 1st of January, 1911, and the amounts in the respective counties unallotted at the present time?
§ Mr. BIRRELLWhat may be called the balance of untenanted land in hand is always changing, fresh land being bought 1757W and grants of untenanted land being made to tenants. According to a rough estimate the following figures answer the question:—
Country. Amount of Land Unallotted, 1st January, 1911. Amount of Land Unallotted, 6th December, 1911. Acres. Acres. Donegal … 22 6,923 Leitrim … 150 3,666 Sligo … 279 4,475 Roscommon … 7,466 15,025 Mayo … 12,132 21,266 Galway … 2,674 16,251 Clare … 67 2,784 Kerry … 1,487 10,965 Cork West … 0 0