asked the Minister for Lands and Fisheries whether he will state how long ago the Jones estate, Newport, Co. Mayo, was purchased by the Land Commission; the reason why the tenants on this estate are not yet vested; whether he can state when they will be vested; and whether, in view of the bad season on the West Coast during the current year, and the poverty of the land in question, some relief can be given these tenants by the remission of a year's rent.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - SALE OF MAYO ESTATE.
The Jones estates were purchased by the late Congested Districts Board in 1907, but owing to the holdings thereon being congested and intermixed they were not resold pending acquisition of lands required to carry out the necessary rearrangement thereof in conjunction with other neighbouring estates. Purchase agreements will be issued for signature by the tenants at an early date. The reply to the concluding portion of the question is in the negative.
Would the Minister explain why, after a long period of contributions to the Land Commission Fund of about 23 years, when these people meet with such a bad year as this that they can get no remuneration or assistance of any kind? The people are very poor and require relief by some means. I do not see how it can be got for them if it is not given in this way, and I think it is quite reasonable for them to expect it.
The Deputy will understand that it was necessary to acquire some neighbouring estates for the carrying out of a scheme of rearrangement there of land mainly in rundale. A rearrangement scheme could not be carried out without acquiring additional land. It was only in recent years, I understand, that the scheme was carried out. There are at least 107 tenants on the estate, and out of that number all the rentals are paid to date with the exception of five.