asked the Minister for Fisheries whether he will state if the Mount Talbot House and lands attached have been sold to Mr. Kelly, of Ballygar, County Galway; if so, when the property was sold; and whether he will state the price paid by Mr. Kelly.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - SALE OF GALWAY LANDS.
The mansion house and lands were advertised for sale in December, 1924, by tender, and the offers received were absolutely inadequate. They were subsequently sold to Mr. Michael Kelly for the sum of £1,300.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary state the amount of the highest tender sent in?
Thirteen hundred pounds.
The people of the district do not believe that it was. Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware of the fact that Mr. Kelly was the auctioneer of the lands and that as he is supposed to have a pull with Mr. Hogan or somebody else he got first preference?
The mansion house and lands were advertised in the ordinary way. Notices of the sale were published in the local papers, and it was open to anyone to make an offer. An offer of £1,300 was made openly by Mr. Kelly and, being the highest offer, it was naturally accepted.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that there is great discontent in the Mount Talbot district over this matter, and that the people actually on the land were not provided for? Some provision should have been made for people who had a claim to the land. It is believed, as Deputy Killilea has stated, that the Minister for Lands and Agriculture had something to do with the matter.
The Minister for Lands and Agriculture had absolutely nothing to do with it, nor was there any influence brought to bear on the Land Commission in connection with the sale of the house and lands. It should be clear to the Deputy that it would be very difficult to sell the mansion house unless some land was attached to it.
The gardener could, at least, have been provided for. He should have got some allotment.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary believe that £1,300 would pay for the timber on the land, or that the house itself is valued only for £1,300?
It was open competition.
Open competition behind the backs of the people.