asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture if he will now state if he is prepared to make the necessary provision whereby defaulters under Part 1 of the Weeds and Agricultural Seeds (Ireland) Act, 1909, will not evade the law during the coming Summer and Autumn; whether he is now aware that landowners in large numbers evaded the law last year by simply cutting or destroying noxious weeds growing in fields adjoining the public road and by failing to destroy the noxious weeds on other portions of their farms which are out of view of the public road.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - WEEDS AND AGRICULTURAL SEEDS ACT.
Mr. HOGAN
Part 1 of the Weeds and Agricultural Seeds (Ireland) Act, 1909, is an adoptive measure, and cannot be enforced without the consent of the county council. This consent has not been given in a number of counties. The enforcement of the Act was necessarily somewhat in abeyance during during recent years, but regular inspection was resumed in certain counties in 1923 and 1924. I am not aware that there is any foundation for the statement in the concluding portion of the question. That is to say, fields near roads are attended to, and others are not. During the present year the Act will be administered in all counties where it has been adopted, and there is every reason to anticipate general compliance with its provisions, especially as the cutting of weeds has now become a normal seasonal operation with the majority of good farmers.
Would the Minister consider the advisability of amending the Act in such a way as to make it compulsory on county councils to adopt it?
Mr. HOGAN
I do not think so. If the county councils do not think it worth while to adopt it, I do not think it is the business of the Government to force them to do so. We must assume that they are the best judges of the needs of the county, and that they have the interests of the county at heart.
Is the Minister aware that such people as county councillors are not likely to adopt an Act detrimental to their own interests, that is to say, paying large sums of money for the destruction of these weeds?
Mr. HOGAN
That is really asking my opinion of county councils and county councillors.
Arising out of the Minister's first reply, are we to understand him to mean that when legislation is passed by this House and made obligatory on certain bodies it is left to their own discretion to obey it or not?
Mr. HOGAN
The Deputy is not to understand anything of the kind. This Act is not obligatory but optional on county councils.
Is the Minister aware that many county councils are the real culprits in this matter?
Mr. HOGAN
I am.