HC Deb 27 March 1911 vol 23 cc1088-9W
Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSY

asked (1) what is the cause of the delay on the part of the Estates Commissioners in dealing with the Mahony estate at Mount Collins, Abbeyfeale, in the county of Limerick, as a congested estate; and (2) whether he is aware that the Mahony estate, at Mount Collins, Abbeyfeale, consists of 1,000 acres of mountain and cut-away bog, with a Poor Law valuation of £270; that there are seventy-nine families on the estate, and that the population is 412; whether he will urge on the Estates Commissioners the immediate necessity of relieving the congestion on the estate and improving the holdings of the tenants; whether he can say if the Commissioners have taken any action to purchase the turbary which has been offered for sale; whether they will include the householders in the village in the sale and purchase for them land in the neighbourhood together with giving them turbary; if he is aware that a farm in the vicinity was offered for sale recently and the Commissioners took no action to purchase it; if so, what was the reason, seeing the great necessity there is for land to improve this congested estate; and can he state if the Commissioners will give a grant to the poorer tenants to improve their houses, as is given by the Congested Districts Board in scheduled areas?

Mr. BIRRELL

The area of this estate is 1,037 acres, the Poor Law valuation £223, and the number of holdings is thirty-four. The Estate Commissioners are desirous of improving the estate by carrying out a scheme of re-arrangment by which every tenant will be given a holding in as few lots as possible instead of as at present in scattered divisions. The tenants have only recently consented to the proposed scheme, and the papers in the case are with an inspector with a view to having the matter dealt with as rapidly as possible. Inquiries are being made as to the turbary available in the neighbourhood. The entire estate has been purchased and the cases of the villagers will be considered. The Commissioners are not aware that a farm in the neighbourhood was offered for sale which could be purchased by them. The question of grants for improvements will be considered when the Commissioners are rearranging the estate.