§ Mr. THOMAS F. SMYTHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland when will the MacTernan estate, situate in the vicinity of Drumshanbo, county Leitrim, be purchased by the Congested Districts Board, as the landlord and tenants agreed on terms now nearly three years ago, when the application to purchase was lodged with the Board?
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§ Mr. BIRRELLThe hon. Member presumably refers to the estate of Mrs. MacTernan comprising the townland of Barnameenagh in the vicinity of Drumshambo. This estate has not been offered for sale through the Congested Districts Board, and they have no knowledge of any agreement for sale which may have been arrived at between the landlord and the tenants.
§ Mr. FRANCIS MEEHANasked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board have taken any steps to purchase the estate of Benjamin Parkes, situated in Glencar, county Leitrim, and Newtown Manor, Dromahair, county Leitrim; whether, having regard to the fact that these are all waste lands and much required for the relief of congestion in these districts, and that the Board have purchased that portion of the Parkes estate at Doonally, county Sligo, he will explain the cause of the delay, as there is very little waste land available in county Leitrim for relief of congestion; and whether Mr. Benjamin Parkes is the undisputed owner of this property?
§ Mr. BIRRELL; The Congested Districts Board have not taken any steps to acquire the estate of Benjamin Parkes in the Glencar district of county Leitrim, nor have they any information regarding it, but they understand that the owner is not prepared to sell the property to the Board. The Board have issued a final offer for the purchase of the grass lands of Kilmore near Newtown Manor, owned by the late Colonel Parke, with a view to compulsory purchase. The Board have also purchased the Parke estate lands of Doonally and Shannon-Oughter. They cannot at present say whether there is any dispute as to the ownership of the lands.
§ Mr. SHEEHYasked whether Mr. Moore O'Farrell has offered his estate at Jordanstown for sale to the Estates Commissioners; and, if so, whether the Commissioners have valued the property?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners are unable to identify the lands referred to as the subject of proceedings for sale before them under the Land Purchase Acts.
§ Mr. DUFFYasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that the estate of Mr. Robert W. Gregory, Coole Park, Gort, had been inspected in November, 1911, by the inspector to the Congested Districts Board; and whether any offer 504W has since been made for its purchase and, if so, with what result?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe inspection by the Congested Districts Board of the estate of Lady Gregory was begun in November, 1911, but owing to floods it was postponed until May, 1912, and the final inspection took place in October, 1912. The Board made an offer for the purchase of this property in December last, and they are at present in communication with the owner on the subject.
§ Mr. DUFFYasked the Chief Secretary whether the estate of Viscount Gough, Lough Cutra Castle, Gort, county Galway, is under consideration by the Estates Commissioners; and has any arrangement been arrived at as between the landlord and the town tenants whereby the tenants in the town of Gort can purchase their holdings through the Estates Commissioners?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThis estate is the subject of proceedings for sale to the Estates Commissioners, and the question of making an offer for the purchase of the holdings situate in the town of Gort will be considered by them.
§ Mr. JAMES O'KELLYasked the Chief Secretary when will the holding of William Gilchriest, Ballycummon, Kilmore, county Roscommon, on the estate of E. M. Jones, No. 4,901, be vested in the tenant, as the purchase agreement was signed in January, 1907; and, as the tenant was forced to pay 4½ per cent. interest on the purchase-money in lieu of rent, pending the completion of the sale, whether the estate will be vested at the earliest possible opportunity, and thus prevent an injustice to this tenant, who has to pay such a high rate of interest on the £1,170 purchase-money?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe lands in this case are the subject of direct sale proceedings by the owner to the tenant under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and the tenant signed an agreement to purchase the lands at a price agreed on between the parties, and he also contracted in his agreement, pending the advance of the purchase-money and the vesting of the holding, to pay interest in lieu of rent at the rate mentioned in the question. This estate has not been reached in order of priority by the Estates Commissioners, who have no power to deal with it out of its proper turn, and they are not at present in a position to say when it will be reached.
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§ Mr. O'SULLIVANasked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have yet proceeded to deal with the estate of S. M. Hussey, at Edenmore, county Kerry; whether a number of tenants on the estate have refused to sign agreements owing to the manner of distribution of the untenanted land by the landlord and other causes; and whether he will see that these matters shall be investigated and rectified by the Commissioners before any vesting orders are issued?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe tenanted portion of this estate was the subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903. The Estates Commissioners inquired into the cases of five tenants who had refused to sign purchase agreements, and notified the vendor of the sums which they would be prepared to advance for the purchase of these holdings if agreements signed by the tenants were lodged with the Commissioners. Four of the tenants refused to sign agreements to purchase at the prices fixed by the Commissioners, and their holdings were in consequence not included in the lands declared to be an estate by the Commissioners. The advances in this case have been made, and the holdings vested in the purchasing tenants, and the matter cannot be reopened by the Commissioners, but if the parties come to an arrangement and purchase agreements under the Irish Land Act, 1909, are lodged the case will be dealt with in due course by the Commissioners. The untenanted land referred to was acquired by the Commissioners under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, and has been distributed by them.
§ Mr. DORISasked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board has yet made an offer to the Marquess of Sligo for his estate in county Mayo, and, if so, with what result; and can he state when approximately the Board hope to acquire this congested estate?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have not yet made an offer for the purchase of the estate referred to. They are not, therefore, in a position to give the information asked for in the latter part of the question.
§ Mr. HAZLETONasked the Chief Secretary whether the farm of Cloonruff is included in the pending sale of the estate of the late Sir N. O'Conor, Ballymoe, county Galway?
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§ Mr. BIRRELLThe estate of the late Sir N. R. O'Conor proposed to be sold to the Congested Districts Board includes 173 acres of untenanted land in the townland of Cloonruff.
§ Mr. HAZLETONasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, if he will state what is the present position with regard to the purchase by the Congested Districts Board of the Rutledge and Blake estates, county Galway?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board are in correspondence with Mr. T. H. B. Ruttledge regarding the purchase of his estate in counties Galway and Mayo. The Board are unable from the particulars given to identify the Blake estate referred to.
§ Mr. HAZLETONasked the Chief Secretary what the intentions of the Congested Districts Board are with regard to the grazing farms of Corrarevagh, Graunmore, and Lenamarla, on the Rodney estate, county Galway, purchased by the Board; and whether they will be available for division amongst the small holders?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Congested Districts Board have acquired Mr. M. Neary's interest in his farm in the townland of Corrarevagh, and are in negotiation with Mr. John Morgan for the purchase of his interest in another farm on the same townland. They propose to divide these lands amongst tenants on the Rodney estate. The Board have not come to any decision with reference to the other farms referred to.
Mr. KELLYasked whether the negotiations for the sale to the Congested Districts Board of the Johnston estate in the parish of Donoughmore, county Donegal, are yet completed; and, if not, whether there is any prospect of an early settlement?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe estate referred to has been offered for sale to the Congested Districts Board, and it will be inspected as soon as practicable. It cannot be stated at present when a settlement is likely to be effected.
§ Mr. SCANLANasked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board are in negotiation with the proprietors of the Lewis estate for the purchase of the portion of that estate situated in the parish of Castleconnor, 507W county Sligo, and the townland of Scurmore; and what progress has been made and when the lands in question are likely to be purchased and sub-divided?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe maps and documents necessary for a preliminary inspection to be made of the Lewis estate, in the counties of Sligo and Mayo are in course of preparation, but have not so far been lodged with the Congested Districts Board. On receipt of the necessary documents the estate will be inspected as soon as practicable, but it cannot be stated when the estate is likely to be purchased.