asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture whether the Blake Estate, Kilgevrin, Miltown, Co. Galway, was acquired by the Congested Districts Board about thirteen years ago; whether that estate has not yet been divided; whether the valuation of the majority of the tenants' holdings on the estate varies from 15/- to £5; whether those tenants have to travel four miles to their conacre holdings, and whether it is proposed to divide this estate, and, if so, how soon.
WRITTEN ANSWERS. - DIVISION OF MILTOWN ESTATE.
Mr. HOGAN
The estate referred to was not acquired by the late Congested Districts Board. The Board made an offer to Mr. J.D. Blake as owner of the fee farm interest in the portion of the estate situate in the townland of Kilgevrin. On refusal of this offer the Board issued a Final Offer under Sections 43 and 60 of the Irish Land Act, 1909, but the Board was subsequently obliged to suspend the purchase of estates and the Final Offer was withdrawn.
Under the Land Act, 1923, Mr. Blake lodged a rental for holdings in the townlands of Fartamon and Kilgevrin to enable the Land Commission to collect from the tenants compounded arrears of rent and payment in lieu of rent under the Act. The estate comprises 18 tenancies, the total rental of which is £97 10s. 6d. The necessary documents (maps, schedules, etc.) to enable the purchase of the estate, including the untenanted land thereon, to proceed, have not been lodged, and a request has been issued to the owner under Section 40 of the Act to have the documents lodged.