asked the Minister for Lands if information has reached his office through the County Cork Evicted Tenants' Association, or through any other channel, to the effect that there are still in the County of Cork many evicted tenants, or descendants of evicted tenants, whose legitimate claims for reinstatement on the land have not been considered or satisfied; and seeing the plight in which some of these victims of the land war now find themselves, if he will set up an open inquiry in Cork at which evidence on oath can be taken, under the direction of the local officers of the Land Commission, so that these claims can be finally determined.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Evicted Tenants in County Cork.
Mr. Boland
The Land Commission have received representations from the Cork Evicted Tenants' Association, and from the South of Ireland Evicted Tenants' Association, on behalf of County Cork evicted tenants or their representatives, and have noted them for consideration as opportunities arise. Applications from or on behalf of genuine evicted tenants or their representatives are sympathetically considered by the Land Commission in connection with the allotment of untenanted land, but they have to be taken in conjunction with other claims for land. Progress in the settlement of outstanding applications depends largely on local circumstances, but every effort is being made by the Land Commission to find suitable land where possible. In the circumstances I am not prepared to adopt the Deputy's suggestion regarding the setting up of an open inquiry in Cork relative to the cases of evicted tenants.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, might I ask if it is the intention of the Department to give further preference to applications of evicted tenants or the representatives of evicted tenants in the division of land?
It is the policy of the Department to give preference to evicted tenants in any particular estate which is the subject of division but, as well as that, the claims of employees and other deserving applicants must also be taken into consideration.
There would be nobody more deserving than the representatives of evicted tenants.
I agree.
They should surely get first preference.
That has been the policy of the Land Commission.