asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture whether he is aware that the estate of D.R. Mahony and others in the townlands of Mountcollins and Caherlevoy, was vested in the Land Commission in October, 1908, and that tenants agreed to purchase provided that this congested estate would get sufficient turbary for their holdings of an average valuation of £5, and an improvement scheme generally on the estate; that there was only a partial improvement on this estate, and that turbary has not been provided for the tenants, and if he is aware that turbary is for sale at present in the neighbourhood, and whether he would have same inspected and portion allocated to the tenants on this property; further, whether he would consider the advisability of removing some of the farmers of this congested district to some other portion of land in the county, and whether he would get the Land Commission to expedite the vesting of these holdings in the tenants, and if he will state what is the cause of the delay in this case.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - SALE OF LIMERICK ESTATE.
Mr. HOGAN
The estate of D.R. Mahony was purchased from the Land Judge by the Land Commission under the provisions of Section 7 of the Irish Land Act, 1903, and was vested in the Commissioners in 1908. The estate comprised some 1,000 acres of the townland of Mount Collins, Co. Limerick, in the occupation of some thirty-five tenants; these holdings were very much intermixed and partly sub-let, and including houses in the village of Mount Collins (some in the occupation of sub-tenants) with detached plots. The nature of the estate, the greater part of which consisted of moor, part of which had been reclaimed, the intermixing of holdings, and numerous sub-lettings called for a re-arrangement so far as possible, with a view to resale in an improved condition, and, for this purpose, the acquisition of some untenanted land in the vicinity was essential. It was not, however, until 1918 that the Commissioners were able to acquire some fifty-three acres of the lands at Caherlevoy, immediately adjoining this estate. A scheme was prepared for the resale of the lands of Mount Collins and Caherlevoy to the Mahony tenants, including several sub-tenants, so as to relieve the congestion, and the Commissioners sanctioned the expenditure of a considerable sum of money for improvements, mainly to buildings. The Commissioners endeavoured to acquire some twenty-one acres of turbary in the vicinity, but owing to the great increase in the value of turf which took place in 1918, the owner refused to sell except at such a price as the Commissiners could not hope to recover on resale to the Mahony tenants. The tenants on the Mahony Estate were continually disputing amongst themselves as to boundaries, etc., and it was, therefore, found impossible to proceed with the resale without having a new survey made. This has now been completed, and the resale will be proceeded with as speedily as possible. The question of acquiring turbary in the neighbourhood is at present under consideration.