asked the Minister for Lands if he will state what progress has since been made in connection with the acquisition of an area of 353 acres of land in the vicinity of Prosperous, County Kildare, which he indicated on the 24th March, 1936, was then under consideration.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Acquisition and Division of Land.
Mr. Boland
Of the area in question, 26 acres of the lands of Curryhills on the estate of Richard Harris have been acquired and divided by the Land Commission, and 224 acres of the lands of Betaghstown on the estate of Henry G. Owen are in process of acquisition, the purchase price having been fixed. The Land Commission have decided to take no action for the present in regard to 21 acres of the lands of Blackwood; some 80 acres of the lands of Downings North and South have been inspected but a decision has not yet been made on the question of taking proceedings for their acquisition.
asked the Minister for Lands whether the Land Commission have acquired the lands of Mr. George Crampton at Ballintargat, Colbinstown, County Kildare, and, if so, when the lands will be divided.
Mr. Boland
The question appears to refer to the holding of Mr. George Crampton in the townland of Ballin-targat (which was vested in him as a tenant purchaser under the Land Act, 1923) and to the lands of Colbinstown in the occupation of the same owner. The Land Commission have no proceedings for the acquisition of these lands.
asked the Minister for Lands if the Rice estate, Derryluskin, Fethard, County Tipperary, has been offered to the Land Commission and, if so, what steps have been taken to acquire those lands; if he is aware that the grazing of this estate has been set to a man who holds about 600 acres and if he will state when those lands will be taken over for division and if he is also aware that repeated applications have been made by the uneconomic holders and landless men of the district for the acquisition and division of this estate.
Mr. Boland
The lands in question appear to comprise the holding of Mary Agnes Rice (formerly Richard Joseph Rice), which has been vested in the Land Commission under Sections 9 and 44 of the Land Act, 1931. The late Mr. Rice offered to sell to the Land Commission a portion of the holding containing 100 acres in order to help him to pay the arrears of annual sums due out of the lands.
It is understood that some of the lands are let for grazing, and a petition has been received from uneconomic holders and landless men in the district requesting their division. The Land Commission have had an inspection made of the lands and the question of instituting proceedings for resumption is under consideration.
Mr. Flynn
asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware that in the period 1931-32 to 1935-36 the total expenditure on the improvement of estates by the Land Commission out of voted moneys in County Mayo was £358,644 and in County Kerry £42,548, and whether he will take steps to ensure that the expenditure in South Kerry in like matters shall be increased so that the amount shall approximate to the sums spent in similarly circumstanced areas.
Mr. Boland
I would remind the Deputy of my reply to his previous question on this matter on the 3rd of March last. I repeat that it is not possible to arrange the expenditure of money on the improvement of estates on a county basis, though the Land Commission do try to deal with necessary works each year in every area. Expenditure in particular counties is largely related to the area of untenanted land suitable and available for division in those counties, and, in this respect, County Kerry is deficient in comparison with such congested counties as Mayo, Galway and Roscommon. But the amount spent on estate improvements during recent years in County Kerry does not compare unfavourably with the expenditure in such congested counties as Clare and Donegal. The Land Commission are endeavouring to expend to the best general advantage the moneys for estate improvement at their disposal.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will now state what steps, if any, are being taken by the Irish Land Commission to relieve the acute congestion existing on the Ward Estate in the townland of Kilscoghagh, Crossboyne, County Mayo, where there are ten tenants whose poor law valuations are under £3 each, and if he will state the cause of the delay by the Irish Land Commission in taking over the farm known as Gortanieran which contains 350 acres in the vicinity of the townland of Kilscoghagh.
Mr. Boland
I have nothing to add at present to my reply to the Deputy's previous question of the 20th of October last, on this matter.
Is the Minister aware that the stock has been driven off this land ten times during the last two years?
asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware that acute congestion exists in the townland of Ballymagibbon, Cross, County Mayo, where there are ten tenants whose poor law valuations are under £5 each and if he will state what steps, if any, are being taken by the Irish Land Commission to acquire, for the relief of such congestion, the farm containing 65 acres in that townland held by Mr. Walter Morrin, Bellypark, Cong, County Mayo.
Mr. Boland
The Land Commission are aware of the congestion existing in the townland of Ballymagibbon South, on the Herrick Estate, County Mayo. A survey of these holdings has been made, and the question as to whether proceedings should be instituted for the resumption of the holding of Mr. Walter Morrin, for the relief of local congestion, is under consideration.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state (a) the purchase price paid by the Irish Land Commission for the lands known as Tullymore and Tullybeg on the McEllin Estate, Brownhall, Balla; (b) the names of the allottees who received allotments on the estate; (c) the area and rent of each allotment, and (d) the cost of the improvements carried out by the Irish Land Commission on those lands.
Mr. Boland
The reply is in the form of a scheduled statement which will be circulated in the Official Report.
STATEMENT showing particulars of the acquisition and allotment of the Estate of Daniel McEllin, Record No. S. 7350, Co. Mayo.
(a) The lands of Tullymore (199 a. or. 11 p.) and Tullybeg (101 a. or. 38 p.) were acquired on 22nd January, 1937, from Mr. Daniel McEllin for £2,600—4 per cent. Land Bonds.
(b) & (c) The names of the persons to whom the lands have been allotted, the area of each allotment and the actual annuities payable by the allottees are as follows:—
SCHEDULE.
|
Allottee |
Area of Allotment |
Actual Annuity on lands (as revised under Land Act, 1933) |
Additional Annuity payable in respect of Advances for specific Improvements |
||||||
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
||||||
|
a. |
r. |
p. |
£ |
s. |
d. |
£ |
s. |
d. |
|
|
Michael Bourke |
37 |
3 |
12 |
7 |
12 |
6 |
4 |
15 |
0 |
|
Peter Canavan |
4 |
1 |
29 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
— |
||
|
Mary Cullinan (M.W.) |
0 |
2 |
15 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
— |
||
|
Patrick Franey |
36 |
1 |
30 |
5 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
15 |
0 |
|
James Holian |
59 |
1 |
8 |
9 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
15 |
0 |
|
John McDonnell |
36 |
2 |
20 |
6 |
15 |
6 |
3 |
16 |
0 |
|
Martin Murphy |
13 |
0 |
10 |
1 |
17 |
2 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
|
James Roughneen |
40 |
1 |
16 |
8 |
19 |
8 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
James Shaughnessy |
40 |
3 |
15 |
6 |
6 |
4 |
4 |
15 |
0 |
|
John Sheridan |
5 |
2 |
19 |
1 |
10 |
0 |
2 |
7 |
6 |
|
Patrick J. Shiels |
7 |
0 |
10 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
7 |
6 |
|
Patrick W. Wade |
11 |
1 |
15 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
— |
||
|
Peter Wade |
6 |
3 |
10 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
— |
(d) A sum of approximately £1,983 has been expended to date on general improvements on the Estate (roads, drainage, fencing, etc.) and it is estimated that a further amount of £474 will be spent under this head; a contract for a sum of £2,225 has been placed for the erection of buildings (dwelling houses and out-offices) for allottees and in addition certain allottees are receiving building assistance to the total of £300.