asked the Minister for Fisheries whether he is aware that the Land Commission acquired the lands of Inchadoney Island, Co. Cork, containing over 126 acres, under Section 36 of the Land Act, 1923, for the purpose of providing parcels of land for persons to whom advances may be made under that Act, and, with full notice of the claims of Edward Nugent, Thomas Deasy, Mrs. Mary Mahony, Edward Arundel, Denis Mahony, and James O'Regan, all of Clonakilty, whose predecessors had been evicted by the landlord from their holdings on that island, proceeded to resell to Michael Donovan more than 50 acres of the island; whether he is aware that Michael Donovan is an extensive farmer; and whether he will state what claims he had to any part of the island under the provisions of the Land Act, 1923; and to inquire what steps the Minister will take to rectify the injury suffered by Edward Nugent and the other claimants named.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. Oral Answers. - LAND DIVISION IN CO. CORK.
The Land Commission acquired 126 acres 1 rood of the lands of Inchadoney Island from the owner, Mr. Richard K. Donovan, under Section 36 of the Land Act, 1923, and allotted them in the exercise of the discretion vested in them as follows: 78a. 2r. 20p. to Michael Donovan, who was evicted in 1886 from a holding on this estate, and who had no other lands: 38 acres to Daniel Hayes, the representative of a tenant evicted in 1886 from another portion of the estate; and 9a. 2r. 20p. as an enlargement to a holding of an adjoining tenant. The applications for reinstatement of the six persons referred to in the question have been considered by the Commissioners. Their predecessors appear to have been evicted from holdings on the island between 1852 and 1864.
The lands of Inchadoney Island have been permanently allotted, and the Land Commission cannot reopen the question of the distribution of these lands.
Is the Minister aware that Michael Donovan, who, he stated, was an evicted tenant and had no land, was at the time this farm was given to him by the Land Commission in possession of a farm of land, and that on an exhaustive examination being made of his claim and that of the claims of the evicted tenants I have mentioned in the question, no foundation in fact was found for his claim to be an evicted tenant?
As a matter of fact, this man's claim as an evicted tenant was lodged as early as 1907, and we have evidence in the Land Commission to show clearly and definitely that this man's predecessor was evicted from this land somewhere about 1886. By a curious coincidence there was no application received from the parties in whom the Deputy is interested until the scheme for the distribution of the land was practically ready to be put into execution.
Does that alter the justice of their claim—that no application was received until 1924?
It seems rather extraordinary that they did not discover they had any claim as evicted tenants until 1926, considering that there was a special Act passed in 1907 dealing with evicted tenants or their representatives.
In view of the general dissatisfaction which this action has aroused in West Cork, and in view of what is described by the people down there as favouritism shown in the distribution of land, I propose, with your consent, to raise the matter on the adjournment.