asked the Minister for Lands if it is the intention of his Department to acquire from the Roscommon County Board of Health cottages and plots in County Roscommon at present in occupation of tenants of the local authority and who have been allotted parcels of land by the Land Commission; and, if so, on what basis.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Acquisition of Labourers' Cottages.
Under Section 39 of the Land Act, 1927, "any local authority in whom is vested any cottage erected or acquired under the Labourers' (Ireland) Acts, 1893-1919, which has ceased to be required for the purposes of these Acts, may, with the sanction of the Minister for Local Government and Public Health and subject to such conditions as he may prescribe, sell such cottage, together with the land attached thereto, to the Land Commission for a price payable in 4½ per cent. Land Bonds." Up to the present no such sale has taken place in any county. The Deputy may be under the impression that if land is allotted to the occupier of a labourer's cottage, the local authority is obliged to take up the cottage. That is not so, as the part of Section 19 of the Labourers' Act of 1906 which requires this to be done was replaced by the Land Act, 1923.
Arising out of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, I was quite well aware of that Section 39 of the 1927 Act; that is the reason I put down the question. What I want to know is whether the Land Commission has any intention whatever of compensating the local authorities for those cottages, or do they intend to take any steps in the matter? The local authorities are desperately anxious to get rid of the cottages to those farmers, but they want to know if the Land Commission are prepared to make any move in the matter. This is the position we are in. There is no need to quote the section.
The initiative rests with the local authorities in the first instance.
Yes, as far as our power of sale is concerned. I would like to know is it the Land Commission's intentions to do this? The Land Commission will not speak on the matter. I have raised it already twice in the House. Will you look into the matter?
Up to the present no such application has been made to the Land Commission and, unless and until such an application is made, the Land Commission cannot consider it. If the Deputy is prepared——
I suggest it is not a question of an application to the Land Commission: it is a question of the Land Commission signifying their intention to do this thing and we will do the rest.
If you submit the matter to them, the Land Commission will deal with it.
Our authority ceases with the Minister for Local Government. We want to know what you are going to do in the matter.
Make an application and see.