asked the Minister for Fisheries whether he will state if the Land Commission has acquired for distribution the Loughville and Claureen estaté, near Ennis, County Clare; when it is proposed to prepare a scheme of distribution; whether he is aware that proceedings are at present being instituted in the Courts for the sale of the estate, and whether the Minister will take such steps as are necessary to prevent the estate from being disposed of otherwise than for distribution amongst uneconomic holders and landless men in the neighbourhood.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - DISTRIBUTION OF CO. CLARE LANDS.
The lands referred to comprise two holdings, containing 131 acres, 2 roods 15 perches, and 140 acres, 2 roods 30 perches, respectively, held as tenants by seven persons as trustees for the Drumcliffe Farmers and Workers' Association, and are situate on the estate of T. Crowe and another, County Clare, for which particulars have been lodged by the owners to enable the estate to be vested in the Land Commission on the appointed day under the Land Act, 1923. The Land Commission have issued a notice of their intention to retain these two holdings under Section 28 of the Act, with a view to considering the question of the resumption of the lands. On the 3rd April last an originating summons was issued by three of the trustees against the other four, applying, amongst other matters, for a direction of the Court that the trusts of the agreement which was entered into between the plaintiffs and defendants and other members of the Association be carried out under the order of the Court. There is no power to interfere with these proceedings in the Courts.
Mr. HOGAN
Does that mean that the trustees can sell an estate to anybody who likes to buy whether there are small tenants or uneconomic holders in the district or not?
No. The Land Commission propose to resume these holdings, but not until the legal proceedings at present pending are finished.