asked the Minister for Lands if he will state whether the Land Commission have instituted, or propose to institute, proceedings for the acquisition of the land of Mr. William Fenton at Knockloe, Tullow, County Carlow, for division among local uneconomic holders and landless men in the area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Acquisition of Carlow-Kildare Lands.
There are no proceedings pending in the Land Commission for the acquisition of the lands of Mr. William Fenton at Knockloe, Tullow, County Carlow. Owing to the emergency conditions the Land Commission are not prepared to take any action at present regarding the acquisition of these lands.
asked the Minister for Lands whether in view of the keen local agitation for land by uneconomic holders and landless men, he will take steps to acquire the Darley estate comprising over 500 acres of land at Blackchurch, County Kildare, with a view to the division of the land among local applicants.
The Land Commission have no proceedings for the acquisition of the untenanted lands at Blackchurch on the Darley estate, Co. Kildare, and owing to the emergency conditions they do not propose to take any action at present regarding their acquisition.
In view of the fact that this is a very large estate and that there is a large number of uneconomic holders and landless men in the area who are unable to obtain land in conacre, would the Minister regard this as a special case with a view to the institution of proceedings to acquire these lands or portion of them?
I have no power to consider that. The Deputy will realise the difficulty of making exceptions in regard to cases of land acquisition. Either we go ahead with the policy of land acquisition or we close down. Since the beginning of the emergency, we have been confining ourselves to cases in which proceedings were actually in progress and endeavouring to complete these cases. We have not taken up any new cases. There is a Government decision that no further action should be taken beyond that. I am bound by that decision and I regret, therefore, that I cannot deal with individual cases.