§ Mr. SHEEHYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the Estates Commissioners are employing a staff to cultivate 180 Irish acres on the Clonebraney estates, county Meath; how many com- 456W pose the staff; what are the duties of each member of the staff; what is each man's salary; how many workmen are employed and at what wages; and what implements and horses are provided; whether he is aware of the number of uneconomic holdings and landless workers in the vicinity who would gladly pay reasonable rents for portions of that estate if divided among them; and whether, under the circumstances, he will explain why this outlay by the Commissioners has been undertaken?
§ Mr. DUKEThe Estates Commissioners are cultivating about 300 acres on this estate. The manager, who was formerly employed by the Commissioners as an inspector, is paid £5 5s. a week, and acts under the general supervision of the chief inspector. Forty-six men are employed at the rate of £1 per week per man, and the foreman receives £2 per week. Fifteen horses have been lent by the military authorities and two motor tractor ploughs, and other machinery and implements are in use. There are few, if any, uneconomic holdings in the neighbourhood, and these will be considered when the lands are being divided. Meanwhile the Commissioners are employing on the lands the available local labour. The cultivation of these lands has been undertaken for the purposes of food production in the present crisis, and the action of the Commissioners is, in my opinion, well conceived in the interest of the whole community.