asked the Minister for Lands whether he is aware that the estate of Mr. William Russell, at Mount Temple village, in the electoral division of Ballymore, has been sold to Mr. Daniel Mahon, Auburn, Athlone, who is already in possession of 400 acres of land and holds an additional 200 acres on the 11 months' system; whether he is aware that the transfer of ownership in this case will have the effect of disemploying a number of people hitherto employed on Mr. Russell's estate; of causing the eviction of one family, at least, and of depriving a number of cottage tenants of grass and tillage accommodation; whether he is aware that adjacent to Mr. Russell's property there is a number of small-holders who are in great need of additional land, and that there is great uneasiness in the locality because of the sale of the property, and whether in the circumstances he is prepared to acquire the lands in question for the accommodation of neighbouring small-holders and landless men.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Westmeath Estate.
No estate of William Russell can be traced in the records of the General Valuation Office as situate in the electoral division of Ballymore. Possibly the Deputy may refer to an estate of the Reps. of William Russell, lands of Labaun, 185 acres, and Tullybane, ten acres, which the Land Commission had recently under consideration and decided to take no action for acquisition as the lands are not suitable for their purposes. These lands are in the electoral division of Mount Temple.