asked the President whether, in view of the uncertainty at present prevailing amongst the land annuitants, who have been promised full derating of agricultural land, he can now state when he will be in a position to make a declaration as to the present policy of the Government on this matter, and whether he will undertake to speed the negotiations and correspondence now proceeding between his Government and the British Government.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Derating.
If the Deputy means to suggest that there is any uncertainty with regard to the tenant purchasers' liability to pay their annuities, the suggestion is entirely unwarranted. The tenant purchasers' liability is not an issue in the correspondence with the British Government. On the question of the ultimate disposal of the annuities, I can only refer the Deputy to my previous reply to him on this matter.
I want to point out that I asked the President if he will undertake to speed up negotiations and correspondence now proceeding between his Government and the British Government, and there is no indication in his reply of what he proposes to do. He has not given me an answer to that.
I can assure the Deputy that there is no time being lost in that matter.
Might I ask if the President can give any estimate of the date on which he will be able to state that the declaration made to the electors and the undertaking on which he and his Party have been returned to power, namely, the derating of agricultural land at the expense of the land annuities, was all bluff.