§ Mr. JOHN ROCHEasked whether the Congested Districts Board have yet made an offer to Lord Clanricarde for the purchase of his Galway estate; and, if not, what is the reason of the delay?
§ Mr. BIRRELLAs I have already informed the hon. Member, an offer which is now in course of preparation will be made shortly.
§ Mr. GILHOOLYasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that, though the tenants on the Bantry estate of the Earl of Kenmare have purchased several years ago, their holding have not yet been vested in them; and whether he can state approximately when they will be so vested?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate is being sold direct to the tenants by the owner, and will be dealt with in order of priority. The Estates Commissioners hope that it may be possible to deal with it during the financial year commencing the 1st April next.
§ Mr. GILHOOLYasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the Congested Districts Board have purchased the 173W Leahy and Leigh White estates, situate in the Castletown Bere and Glengariff districts, and that, though a considerable time has elapsed since the purchases, the tenants are still paying the full rents; and when will the annuities commence to be paid in lieu of rents by the tenants?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board inform me that the terms for purchase for the greater portion of these estates were provisionally agreed to in May last, but as the owner of the Leigh White estate has not yet lodged the maps and other necessary particulars, no formal agreement to purchase has yet been entered into, and the Board cannot say at present when the estate may be vested in them. In the case of the Leahy estate, the maps and other particulars have been lodged, and it is expected that the formal agreement for purchase will shortly be entered into. The annuities cannot begin to be paid until after the purchases have been completed.
§ Mr. CRUMLEYasked whether the Estates Commissioners received within the specified time an application under the Evicted Tenants Act from John Cassidy, Aghagaffart, Irvineston, county Fermanagh, for reinstatement in his holding on the Aikens estate; whether the Commissioners so far back as 1907 promised to reinstate Cassidy; and will he ask the Commissioners to consider the case and announce their decision without further avoidable delay?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that Cassidy's application was received in March, 1907, and his name was provisionally noted for consideration. He appears to be in occupation of his former holding, and his case will be considered when the estate on which the holding is situate comes before the Commissioners as the subject of proceedings for sale under the Land Purchase Acts. Cassidy has been so informed on several occasions.
§ Mr. O'SULLIVANasked whether the Congested Districts Board will take steps to acquire compulsorily the Going estate at Ardeegallivan, Headford, as the district is poor and the tenants have repeatedly asked for sale, but without any effect?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have communicated with the owner with a view to the purchase of this174W estate, but have not yet received a definite reply. A further communication will be addressed to him. For the present, therefore, the question of compulsory acquisition will not be considered.
§ Mr. WILLIAM O'BRIENasked the Chief Secretary if he will state what is the state of the negotiations for the purchase of the Cooper estate at Ballinrea, Douglas, county Cork?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate is being sold direct to the tenants by the owner. Having regard to its position on the principal register of direct sales, and the claims of other estates in priority to it, the Estates Commissioners are not at present in a position to say when it will be reached by them, but when so reached it will be dealt with as rapidly as practicable.