asked the Minister for Lands and Fisheries whether he can state if the Irish Land Commission have received any report from their Inspector regarding the acquiring of the Knox Pollock estate, adjoining the town of Lifford, Co. Donegal; and, if so, what is their decision regarding the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Knox Pollock (Co. Donegal) Estate.
The Land Commission have had inquiry made regarding the lands of Lifford, Lifford Commons and Townparks on the Knox Pollock estate, which adjoins the town of Lifford, and it is not their present attention to acquire them.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that this farm formerly contained about 55 acres and now only comprises 32 acres? Twenty-three and a half acres were sold in lots to large farmers and business men in the Six Counties. I can give the names of these persons. They were: Weir and Co., auctioneer and large farmers, Strabane (3 acres); R. J. Smith, shopkeeper and large farmer, Strabane (10 acres); J. MacDougal, large farmer (3 acres); James Harte, publican, Lifford (2½ acres); and Patrick Fields, labourer (5 acres).
This farm is subject to a Land Commission annuity, and if we took it over we would have to offer an alternative farm somewhere else. I realise that the farm is situated in a good farming and tillage district, but there is really no congestion in the area except in the sense that it is in one of the congested counties. It is accommodation land and has been used for many years by residents in the towns of Lifford and Strabane. It is let to a number of people at very high prices, and if we acquire the land it would not, in my opinion, be of benefit to people who would use it or to small holders in the area.