§ Colonel GREIGasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland how many acres of agricultural land in Ireland have been purchased or acquired under the Land Purchase (Ireland) Acts; and what has been the average cost per acre of such land?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that 7,367,700 acres of land in Ireland, including mountain and bog, have been sold and vested under the Land Purchase Acts up to the 31st March. 1912, and the purchase money totalled £75,870,210, which works out at £10 6s. an acre.
§ Mr. DANIEL BOYLEasked what steps have been taken by the Congested Districts Board for the acquisition of the estate of Thomas F. O'Reilly, in the barony of Erris, county Mayo; and whether this estate has been on offer to the Board for a considerable time, and all necessary documents in connection therewith have been lodged with the Board?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe maps and documents necessary for a preliminary inspection with a view to the sale of this properly under the Act of 1909 were lodged with the Congested Districts Board in June last. The inspection of the estate is at present in progress, and the Board hope to consider the question of purchase at an early date.
§ Mr. HAZLETONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Congested Districts Board has yet taken steps for the purchase of the Dodwell estate, Carroreagh, Ballyglunin, in the parish of 497W Monivea, county Gal way; if so, how the matter now stands; and whether they will settle this estate' in conjunction with the Belville estate, to which small holders on the former might then be migrated?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board are in negotiation for the purchase of this property. The estate referred to in the latter part of the question cannot be identified by the Board.
§ Mr. HAZLETONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Latly estate, Slieveroe, Headford, county Galway, has been offered for sale to the Estates Commissioners or the Congested Districts Board, and, if so, when; whether any offer of purchase has been made by either of these bodies, and the result of such offer; and what is the present position of the negotiations, if any?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe estate referred to was offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board, and they have recently issued an offer for purchase which is at present under consideration.
Mr. KELLYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the tenants on the Hayes estate, county Donegal, signed a consent for the sale of the estate through the Congested Districts Board; how long is it since the consent has been signed; and have any steps been taken in the meantime towards the completion of the sale?
§ Mr. BIRRELLIn February last three-fourths of the tenants on this property signed the consent referred to in the question. The Congested Districts Board made an offer for purchase to the late owner, whose death caused a delay in the proceedings, but terms for purchase have now been practically agreed to between the present owner and the Board.
§ Mr. HORNERasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that an application was made on the 29th day of March, 1911, on behalf of Mrs. Ann Kirk, of Altacamcosy, Gortin, county Tyrone, a tenant purchaser, to the Irish Land Commission, to make regulations for the exercise of her turbary rights on the estate which was sold subject to the provisions of Section 21 of the Irish Land Act of 1903; will he say what steps have been taken in reference thereto; and why no reply has been made to the several letters from her solicitors asking for a ruling on the application?
498W
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe answer to the first paragraph of the question is in the affirmative. The Estates Commissioners have had an inspection made of the bog over which Mrs. Kirk has rights of turbary, and regulations have been drafted and are under consideration. It is expected that they will be finally settled at an early date, and when this is done the solicitors will be so informed.