asked the Minister for Agriculture whether the present position of the tenants on the Clancarty Estate, Ballinasloe, has been brought to his notice; whether he is aware that, on the invitation of the Landlord, an offer was made by these tenants for the purchase of their holdings, that, on this offer being rejected, they employed at their own expense a Valuer, having many years experience in making similar valuations for the Government, that they were then, and are still agreeable to purchase at the prices fixed by this Expert Valuer, and that they have offered to refer the question of the purchase price to the arbitration of the Land Settlement Court; that, on the Landlord's refusal to sell, the tenants offered to pay their rents, less a 20 per cent. reduction; that this offer was refused and some of the tenants served with writs, and decrees obtained, including costs, to the amount of £17 and £18, on rents of less than £30; that these decrees were executed by the aid of the National Army, and whether the Minister can arrange that these tenants will not be subjected to further expense and hardship, pending the establishment of a Land Court which will deal fairly and justly with such cases.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. [ORAL ANSWERS.] - CLANCARTY ESTATE.
As the primary object of the Land Purchase Acts is the transfer of agricultural and pastoral lands, no Estate can be purchased under these Acts which is not in the main so composed.
Estates, accordingly, such as the particular one referred to in the question which appears to consist entirely of town holdings, cannot be made the subject of Land Purchase proceedings. I am thus precluded from interference in the matter.