asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture whether the Secretary to the Committee who had charge of the purchase of the Westropp estate, Co. Limerick, has been threatened with legal proceedings for the recovery of the interest due on the purchase of the estate; that the Secretary handed over to the Land Commission two years ago full control of the estate, with the accrued profits of £2,000 thereon; whether about one dozen letters have been written to the Land Commission on the matter by the agent for the estate and no reply has been received.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - WESTROPP ESTATE (CO. LIMERICK).
Mr. HOGAN
The Commissioners understand that the committee of tenants who were in possession of the lands under an agreement with the owner by which they were to pay him £650 a year and to free him from any future liability for maintenance of the embankment protecting the lands were threatened with legal proceedings for arrears of this sum due to the owner up to the date of vesting of the estate in the Land Commission.
In connection with the proceedings for the purchase the Land Commission made it a condition that before an offer to purchase was issued the Committee should lodge with the Commissioners £2,000 of their accumulated profits to be used in the event of the Land Commission acquiring the lands as a trust fund for the maintenance of the embankment and for construction of roads and fences. This £2,000 was lodged in April, 1924, and the Land Commission made an offer to purchase the estate, but possession of it was not obtained by the Land Commission until July, 1925. The owner's agents wrote several letters to the Land Commission in connection with the arrears due to the owner by the Committee and the Commissioners communicated with the Committee and, being satisfied that the amount claimed was due by the Committee and that the Committee had not funds to meet the demand, issued to the agents on the 23rd instant, out of the money lodged by the Committee, a pay order in favour of the owner for the amount due.