§ Mr. JOHN O'CONNORasked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have made any proposals to, or entered into any negotiations with, the owner of the Dobb estate at or near Donadea, county Kildare, for the purchase of the same under Section 6 of the Act of 847W 1893, as amended by the Irish Land Act of 1909; can he say if a preliminary inspection of the said estate has been made by them; and, if so, is it intended to follow up such inspection by making a final offer for the purchase of the said estate under the provisions of the said Land Acts?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo proceedings have been instituted by the owner for the sale of this estate under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, as amended by the Act of 1909. As the hon. Member has already been informed, the owner has supplied the Estates Commissioners, at their request, with a map and other particulars, and they have had a preliminary inspection made. The Commissioners are not prepared to make an offer for the purchase of the estate at present, but, if they acquire untenanted land which could be utilised for the relief of congestion on this estate, the Commissioners will consider the question of making an offer to purchase the property.
§ Mr. FFRENCHasked the Chief Secretary what is the present state of the negotiations with regard to the purchase of the Boyd estate (E.C. 9,545). in the counties of Wexford and Kilkenny; and if he will state the cause of the delay in the compleiton of the purchase, considering that the tenants have left the fixing of an equitable price altogether in the minds of the Estates Commissioners?
§ Mr. BIRRELLProceedings have been instituted for the sale of this estate by the owner to the Estates Commissioners under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, as amended by the Irish Land Act, 1909. The property has been inspected, and the Commissioners have the matter under consideration with the view to the issue of an offer for the purchase of the estate.
§ Mr. JOHN ROCHEasked the Chief Secretary when the grass farms on the estate of Major A. D. D. Kelly, situate at Mucklon, county Galway, will be divided among the uneconomic holders there?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners have made an offer for the purchase of this estate under Section 6 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, subject to the statutory condition that the tenants agreed to purchase their holdings at the prices fixed by the Commissioners. Some of the tenants have refused to purchase their holdings at848W such prices, as they desire the Commissioners to redeem the annuities payable by the occupiers to the Board of Works in respect of the River Suck Drainage, and to add the redemption value of such drainage annuities to the prices of their holdings. The Commissioners have no power to comply with such application, and are so informing the parties. The Commissioners are not at present in a position to state when they may be able to allot the untenanted land should they acquire the property.
§ Mr. BOLANDasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that Roger Connell, Caherlehillane, Kells, on the estate of the late R. P. Blennerhassett, applied for a free Grant for building in January, 1913, and that the estate was not vested in the purchasing tenants until December, 1913; whether he is aware that the three other tenants on the townland were given free Grants of £30 each and a further loan of £30 for improving their dwelling-houses; can he say why discrimination was practised against this tenant; and whether steps will now be taken to treat him on the same terms as the other tenants?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Estates Commissioners inform me that Connell's application was made in February, 1913, and the lands were vested in the purchasing tenants in the following month. The question of what Grants, if any, should be made is entirely a matter within the discretion of the Commissioners, and they decided not to sanction any expediture in regard to Connell's holding. The Commissioners are not prepared to depart from this decision.