§ Mr. O'SHAUGHNESSYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the sale of the estate of Mr. D. G. Conyers, at Castleton Conyers, county Limerick, is yet completed; if not, whether the Estates Commissioners will have included in it one tenant named Patrick Murphy, of Castleton Conyers, who refused to sign the agreement to purchase with the other tenants, as he wanted to have the gate re-erected on the passage going through his land, but who is now willing to do so, having regard to the fact that the Estates Commissioners say they have not the power to compel this to be done?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe hon. Member presumably refers to the holding of Honora Murphy on the Conyers estate, county Limerick, which estate was subject of proceedings for sale direct by the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903. It is understood that Murphy's representatives refused to sign unless allowed to erect a gate at a certain right-of-way, which gate had been removed by order of the County Court judge, and as no purchase agreement was lodged in their case the holdings could not be included in the sale which so far as the proceedings before the Commissioners are concerned is closed. If the parties are now prepared to enter into an agreement to purchase the holding they should communicate with the owner on the subject.
§ Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary what is the total amount deducted from the Local Taxation Account for each county in Ireland during each of the years 1911, 1912, and 1913 under each of the four following heads, namely, medical and educational expenditure in unions, salaries paid to sanitary officers in rural and urban districts, Estate Duty grants in respect of land purchase liability, and railway and harbour charges, under Section 58 of the Local Government Act, 1273W 1898; what is the total of these four heads for each county for the three years named; what is the total for all Ireland for the same period; and what steps it is proposed to take to recoup the local authorities for these losses?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe preparation of the Tables containing the information asked for by the hon. Member would involve considerable time and trouble, and it would be necessary to detach a portion of the staff of the Local Government Board during the busiest period of the year. The hon. Member will find in the Annual Reports of the Local Government Board Tables showing the deductions from and additions to the shares of each county in the Estate or Death Duty Grant in respect of land purchase liability. I would also refer the hon. Member to my reply to the question of the hon. Member for North Westmeath on 14th January last, which gives the total amounts deducted under the various headings referred to by the hon. Member during the seven financial years ending 31st March, 1912.