asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that the Curragh Greenlands are being rapidly overgrown with thistles, and that the men employed in cutting them have been discharged; and whether the Minister will give orders to re-employ those men in order to save those and the farmlands adjoining the Curragh from being further infected by this noxious weed.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. [ ORAL ANSWERS. ] - CURRAGH GREENLANDS—CUTTING OF THISTLES.
The cutting of thistles on the Curragh Greenlands is still in progress. The work is being carried out by a small permanent staff, none of whom has been dismissed. The men referred to by the Deputy in his question as having been discharged were engaged specially by the Office of Works for the work of removing the noxious weeds on the lands under the control of the Ministry of Defence. On the completion of this work six of the men were discharged, and the remaining three are still employed on another temporary job. The excessive growth of weeds on these lands this year is due to the absence of cavalry or artillery manoeuvres, which during the British occupation helped considerably in keeping the ground clear.