§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have now received notice from all the owners acquiescing in the reinstatement of James Shiels to his farm in Knockanghy, county Cavan, and agreeing to accept the compensation offered; and will he, without further delay, have this case specially investigated and dealt with?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe terms of sale of Shiels' former holding have now been arranged with the owners, and the Estates Commissioners are taking the necessary steps to acquire the lands with the view of reinstating Shiels.
§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland how many evicted tenants, or representatives of evicted tenants, have been reinstated and provided with new holdings in Ulster; how many evicted tenants in Ulster who have been provisionally noted for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land remain still to be dealt with; how many inspectors have been dealing with the evicted tenants in Ulster; and will he also give the numbers of inspectors who have been employed on similar work in the other provinces?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that 640 Ulster evicted tenants or their representatives have been reinstated in their former, or provided with new holdings, and 115 applications have been provisionally noted for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land. The work in connection with the reinstatement of evicted tenants is carried out by the Commissioners' inspection staff generally, and it is not possible to segregate it as asked in the latter part of the question.
Mr. KELLYasked how many evicted tenants were recommended to the Estates Commissioners for reinstatement in farms in county Donegal during the year 1907; and how much untenanted land is at present available in county Donegal for the purpose of reinstating evicted tenants?
2109W
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners' statistics are not kept in such a form as to enable them to say at this interval of time how many evicted tenants were recommended to them for reinstatement in the year 1907. The hon. Member will, however, find full particulars of the applications received up to 31st March last from persons applying for reinstatement as county Donegal evicted tenants or their representatives in Table XXXVIII. of the Appendix to the Commissioners' last Annual Report. There are at present thirteen applications for reinstatement from county Donegal evicted tenants which have been provisionally noted for consideration in the allotment of untenanted land acquired by the Commissioners. Proceedings are pending for the purchase by the Commissioners of some 650 acres of untenanted land in the same county and in its distribution, if acquired, these applications will be considered.
Mr. KELLYasked how many evicted tenants have been reinstated or provided with new holdings in the county Donegal since the year 1907?
§ Mr. BIRRELLSince 1st January, 1907, sixty-one county Donegal evicted tenants or their representatives have been reinstated in their former or provided with new holdings.