HC Deb 24 March 1911 vol 23 cc865-6W
Mr. SHEEHAN

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether it is the intention of the Estates Commissioners to give Mrs. Margaret Windle, evicted tenant on the estate of O'Grady Delmege, at Glensharrold, county Limerick, an allotment of untenanted land in lieu of that of which she was deprived by the late J. C. Delmege in the year 1879, the Commissioners having repeatedly signified their approval of the bona fides of Mrs. Windle's claim?

Mr. BIRRELL

The Estates Commissioners inform me that Mrs. Windle's name has been noted for consideration in the allotment of untenanted lands for which the Commissioners are at present in negotiation.

Mr. SHEEHAN

asked the Chief Secretary whether, when untenanted land has been offered for sale to the Estates Commissioners by the owner of an estate who has sold the tenanted holdings direct to the occupiers, it is the practice of the Commissioners to defer the purchase of such untenanted land until they come to deal with the purchase agreements in their due order of priority; and, seeing that the practice of postponing the acquisition of untenanted land in this manner is opposed to the spirit of the Land Purchase Acts and the Evicted Tenants Act, and that it is desirable that all available untenanted lands should be acquired as speedily as possible for distribution amongst evicted tenants, small holders, and deserving labourers, will he recommend that the practice or regulations of the Estates Commissioners shall be so altered as to enable them to purchase and distribute the untenanted or grass lands on any estate without waiting to have it dealt with in its order of priority?

Mr. BIRRELL

The Estates Commissioners inform me that estates are dealt with as far as practicable by them in their order of priority. It may happen that if the untenanted land is offered to the Commissioners apart from the tenanted they may defer the allotment of the untenanted land until such time as they are dealing with the tenanted portion of the estate in order that the wants and circumstances of the tenants may be fully considered in such allotment.