§ Mr. O'DOWDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the grazing farm of Oldbrock, on the Major Boyle estate, and situate in the Cloonoghil East division, Tubbercurry union, county Sligo, is about being sold by private treaty; and that the tenants formerly in occupation of this farm were evicted from their holdings some forty years ago although having their rents paid up to date; and, if so, whether, seeing that the descendants of these tenants still reside in the neighbourhood, some living on uneconomic patches of reclaimed bog and others having no land at all, immediate steps will be taken by the Congested Districts Board to have this farm acquired for distribution amongst these people and other landless people in the district?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe Congested Districts Board are not aware of the proposed sale of Major Boyle's Oldrock Farm by private treaty, and have no information as to the evicted tenants referred to. The Board have been obliged to suspend negotiations for the purchase of further estates since April, 1915, and cannot negotiate for this estate. The Board have no power to give 3109W land to landless persons or to persons to whom the Evicted Tenants Act does not apply, and who are not otherwise eligible.