asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture whether the Estate Commissioners required to be embodied in every inspector's report of an estate all the cases of congestion on the estate, whether from smallness of area or infertility of soil, and all the untenanted land on or near the estate by means of which that congestion could be relieved; and whether the Commissioners would in future require the enlargement of uneconomic holdings where possible before allowing the sale of an estate to be completed.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - ESTATE COMMISSIONERS' REQUIREMENTS.
Under the provisions of the Land Act, 1923, tenanted lands (holdings) on the estate of an owner vest in the Land Commission on the appointed day. Holdings which are prima facie uneconomic are inspected and may be retained by the Land Commission, pursuant to Section 28 (6) (c) (d) of the Act with a view to enlargement on the acquisition under the Act of land suitable for that purpose. Untenanted land in or near the vicinity of congested areas will be acquired in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
Arising out of that question I would like to ask the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that from 1907 onwards a number of the landlords created bogus tenancies to defeat the objects of the Land Act, and gave these tenants the title "Future Tenants"? In the event of the Estates Commissioners deciding to acquire these lands held by these bogus tenants are they legalised by the Act of 1923, and will the Commissioners have to pay as big a price for the lands as they will to landlords who held other estates that are not future tenancies?
Mr. HOGAN
The Deputy, I think, desires to know whether "Future Tenants" purchase in the same way as present tenants under the Land Act of 1923. The answer is that they do. I was pressed very strongly by Deputies of the Farmers' Party when the Act of 1923 was going through to include "Future Tenants" in the scheme. Apart from that pressure I think it is quite correct myself to do so.