§ Mr. LUNDONasked how the Estates Commissioners are going to deal with George Hartigan, tenant on the Lyons estate at Ballinscala, Kilmallock, county Limerick; and, in view of the circumstances which so far have prevented this tenant from getting an advance under the Land Purchase Acts, will he be allowed to divide his farm and purchase the bigger part of the holding, or will the Commissioners reconsider the whole case and allow the full advance of £7,000 to be made, as it is well known that the £2,000 odd which they say he has already been advanced was for the farm which he holds in trust for his nephews, which no doubt would have passed from their hands except for Mr. Hartigan's consideration?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that Hartigan signed an agreement under the Irish Land Act, 1903, to purchase his holding on the estate of J. D. Lyons, county Limerick, for the sum of £6,134. He and his wife had already obtained an advance of £2,231 for the purchase of a holding on the O'Donnell estate, county Limerick, which advance they state they obtained as trustees for their brother-in-law, but the Court of Appeal have decided that this advance must, for the purposes of Section 1 (4) of the Irish Land Act, 1903, be taken as made to Hartigan. He cannot, therefore, now obtain a greater advance than £4,769 (being the difference between £7,000, the maximum advance obtainable under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and £2,231, the advance already obtained by him). It is open to Hartigan to lodge in cash the balance of the advance of £6,134 applied for by him. If the farm were divided, as proposed in the question, and an agreement now lodged for the purchase of portion of it, such agreement would be subject to a 3½ per cent, annuity under the 1231W Irish Land Act, 1909, and the maximum advance which could be made in such circumstances to him would be £2,769.