asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture if he can state the present position of the Land Commission in connection with the proposed acquisition and division of the estate of William Hopkins at Park and Lyrogue, Leix; whether he is aware that the house attached to the Park portion of these lands was occupied by Mr. J. Thompson, who is the owner of several other farms in the same county, on April 28th, 1926, on instructions, it is stated, received from one of the Land Commission Inspectors, and whether the Commissioners do not now propose to divide these lands amongst the local uneconomic holders and landless men; whether Mr. Thompson's previous residential holding at Barraghaun, Errill, Co. Leix (estate of Richard Edmund Mills, Record No. 1248), was entered in a provisional list published in the "Iris Oifigiúil," dated November 20th, 1925, in the name of Mrs. Elizabeth Winters (Thompson's sister-in-law), Ballagh, Charleville, Co. Limerick; whether he can state the grounds upon which Thompson was allowed to take up residence on this portion of the Hopkins estate.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - HOPKINS ESTATE (LEIX).
The estate of William Hopkins (S.2406) comprises two holdings, one in the townland of Lyrogue, comprising 120 acres 2 roods 35 perches, occupied by John Mansfield, and the other 118 acres 2 roods 11 perches, in the townlands of Park and English in occupation of Robert John Thompson.
The Commissioners have decided to retain the former holding with a view to its resumption, but do not propose to retain the holding of R.J. Thompson. No insructions were issued by the Land Commission Inspector regarding the occupancy of the house.
The two holdings on the estate of R.E. Ellis (S.1248) in the townland of Borraughaun comprising 54 acres 1 rood 25 perches, and Oldtown comprising 44 acres 3 roods 24 perches which were assigned by Thompson to Miss Elizabeth Winters, are considered by the Commissioners to be more suitable for acquisition than the lands of Park, which are properly used by the tenant who materially improved the buildings and land by good husbandry.
Has the Minister been given any reply to the latter portion of the question?
I have not. The Deputy can raise that matter again.
I am anxious to know what protection a Deputy has in the case of a Minister who is replying for the Minister to whom the question is addressed, when he is not given a full and complete answer to a question that has been repeated with the deliberate object of giving the Minister an opportunity to reply in detail.
The only thing I can do is to suggest that the Deputy should repeat the particular part of this question which he claims has not been answered. He can then have an opportunity of dealing with the Minister for Lands and Agriculture in person.
Will there be any opportunity of getting any question answered, that is put down now, this session?
I think so. I will take this particular matter of Deputy Davin's to-morrow, if necessary.
The Minister will be here to-morrow.
Subject to your agreement sir, I would like to have the question repeated for the purpose of having the last portion of it replied to.
We can have it included in to-morrow's Order Paper.