HC Deb 30 May 1912 vol 38 cc1705-6W
Sir J. LONSDALE

asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he is aware that dissatisfaction prevails among town tenants in Castlerea in regard to the division by the Congested Districts Board of the Wills-Sandford demesne land; can he explain why thirty acres of this land have been allotted to the hon. Member for South Mayo and a member of the Congested Districts Board; and whether the Congested Districts Board have given consideration to the needs of the town tenants in the distribution of these demesne lands?

Mr. GULLAND

The Congested Districts Board are aware that there is dissatisfaction among a comparatively small number of town tenants in Castlerea in regard to the division of the lands referred to. The hon. Member for South Mayo is the owner of a farm outside the town of Castlerea, and near to this farm are many congested holdings. The Board were desirous of enlarging these holdings out of the farm, and the hon. Member has consented to exchange it for a portion of the demeane on the Wills-Sandford estate. Ten other owners or occupiers of land in the neighbourhood of Castlerea similarly agreed to exchange such lands for parcels of the demesne in order to meet the wishes of the Board, whose main object in purchasing the Castlerea demesne was to relieve congestion among agricultural occupiers by increasing the size of their farms. The Board have given the fullest consideration to the needs of the town tenants so far as they could reasonably do so, having regard to the more urgent requirements of the occupiers of agricultural small congested holdings in the neighbourhood.