Vol. 9 No. 20
I move:
That the Dáil disapproves of the delay which is taking place in carrying out the provisions of the Land Act, 1923.
As I understand that I have only ten minutes I would wish to have the motion adjourned until Friday, as I could not deal with the subject in that time. I would ask that the motion be postponed now and taken up at 2 o'clock on Friday.
I think there is ample time to dispose of the motion.
I am prepared to go on with the motion, and talk all night if the Dáil wishes.
If the Deputy would talk until 8.30.
Are only ten minutes to be given?
The idea is, if the Motion is taken now it will be automatically adjourned at 8-30 until Friday.
If the Government have such anxiety to get through the Local Government Bill—an anxiety they showed to-day—they should agree to postponing the Motion.
Does that mean that this Motion will be the first business on the Orders of the Day on Friday?
No; in Private Members' time.
I will go on until 8-30 but nothing will be gained.
Let us hear the case.
The Deputy can make his case until 8-30 and resume on Friday.
We were told during the different Stages of the Land Act of 1923, that wonderful results would be achieved. The uneconomic holders, and the landless people, willing and able to work, were to get land, and the Land Commission was to have power to take land, whether tenanted or untenanted, ranch or residential land. That Act is now over eighteen months on the Statute Book and not one acre has been distributed, and not one uneconomic holder has suceeded in getting land. When questions were asked in the Dáil, Deputies were told that the Land Commission were making inquiries, or that lands had been vested in the Land Commission. We have never got a statement as to what amount of land has been vested in the Land Commission, nor the date at which it is likely these lands will be divided amongest the people. During the passage of the Bill, several Deputies contended that it was not really one that the people would derive much benefit from, and that it was not as good as the Act passed by the British Government in 1903. At the time, the Dáil was led to believe that there would be no delay on the part of the Minister or his Department in putting every section of the Act into operation. I expect I will be told that it is much better, from a financial point of view, to allow the ranchers to remain in possession and in the country. The Minister for Lands and Agriculture may tell me—he probably will—when replying.
Will the Deputy not allow me to make a reply?
I will, but not to-night. I may be told that owing to the amount of small and uneconomic holdings, and the number of landless people, if the land was divided amongst them they would not be in the position the rancher is in to-day of paying Income Tax. In that case naturally the finances of the Government would be losing a considerable amount. That may be one of the reasons why there is such delay on the part of the Land Commission in dealing with the Land Act of 1923. I may be also told that according to the provisions of that Act, when the Land Commission acquires lands, all tenants living on them must get two months notice in order that they may say if they have any valid objection to the taking over of the lands. The Minister may probably say, the same as his colleague in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, that his staff is too small. I want a definite statement from the Minister. I speak on behalf of the people who are suffering and who have no other means of livelihood. I know the feelings of those people, having gone amongst them. They are not contented, and I warn the Minister for Lands and Agriculture that unless he wants to have agitation through the country which will cause him and the Land Commission a great deal of annoyance, he will advise his officials to have the lands handed over and divided amongst the people.
In 1901 and 1902 we had a regular campaign of "The land for the people" throughout the country. In 1903 a Bill was introduced into the British House of Commons that enabled the landlords to sell out. In 1923 the agitation again started in order to secure land for the people, and the Minister for Lands and Agriculture, on behalf of the Government, introduced a Bill which, he said, was going to do justice and that the people would benefit from. Has one citizen of the Saorstát benefited in any way by that Act up to the present? When is it likely that any lands will be divided? If you write to the Department you get a reply that your letter has been received, and that it will receive prompt attention.
In fairness to the Land Commission, I do not think they ever put in the adjective "prompt."
I can show it to you.
