To ask the Minister for Agriculture, if pending the introduction of legislation dealing with the land problem, he can advise and assist in the dividing up of farms and ranches put up for sale at public auction, when the landlords or executors of such farms or ranches are willing and are in favour of the dividing up such lands amongst the landless men and uneconomic holders, and, whether he can give any intimation that such cases will be dealt with early in the next Session.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. - DIVIDING UP OF RANCHES.
The introduction and financing of Land Purchase schemes is bound up with the problem of the financial settlement between Ireland and England. Negotiations on this are going on at present and will be continued after the Constitution is passed. It will, however, take some months before arrangements are completed. In the meantime the Land Settlement Commission which is now functioning under the Provisional Government, is being kept intact as an Arbitration Court and where landlords or owners of land consent there will be no difficulty in making this Arbitration Court available either to fix prices or where new judicial tenancies are being created or to carry out the actual division of the land. Until, however, land purchase legislation is introduced, such sales cannot be financed by the State.