asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he is aware that there are not sufficient applicants to rent the number of allotments available for cultivation in Dublin; and if, in view of these circumstances, he will apply the benefits of the free seed and allotments scheme to the old age pensioners who have applied for allotments.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Allotments.
Mr. A. Byrne
The provision of allotments in Dublin is a matter for the Corporation of Dublin, who are empowered to provide allotments for persons resident in their area who desire to cultivate them. My Department is only concerned to the extent to which allotments are provided for and let to unemployed persons at a nominal rent in accordance with the Acquisition of Land (Allotments) (Amendment) Act, 1934. In such cases the loss to the local authority in providing allotments at a nominal rent is met by a State grant. The supply of free seeds, etc., is a matter for the Department of Agriculture. The circumstances mentioned by the Deputy, if they exist, would not enable the benefits of that Act to be extended to any classes other than unemployed persons as defined by the Act and regulations thereunder.
Mr. A. Byrne
Is the Minister aware that men who were given plots as unemployed men at the ages of 68 and 69 and who enjoyed the advantages of the free seeds scheme administered by the Minister for Agriculture, were quite recently, when they became 70 years of age, classed as employed men and had to pay the full rates out of their old age pensions for these plots? The result was that a very large number of them were compelled to surrender their plots because they would not get the benefit of the scheme as unemployed men, although they are still unemployed.
I am not aware that the statements made by the Deputy are correct. I have no knowledge of the circumstances of these particular persons, but I can say that as the net income which might be earned by an ordinary cultivator of these plots is £10 or £11 per year, I do not see why they should surrender the plots.
Mr. A. Byrne
The Minister assumes that what I have stated is not correct but, if he finds on inquiry that it is correct, will he see that old age pensioners, who were given plots in the last three or four years, at a time when they were about 65 or 66 years of age, and who were deprived of the benefit of the allotment scheme on reaching the age of 70, will have the benefits of this scheme restored to them?
I have nothing to add to the reply already given.
In view of the fact that the scheme was introduced for the primary purpose of producing more food, and also in view of the fact that many of the people, who are now placed outside this scheme because they have reached the age of 70, would work these plots to much greater advantage than the people who have been since put into possession of them, would the Minister reconsider this matter?
The Deputy is under a misapprehension. The Act under which these plots were allocated to the unemployed was passed in 1934 and the definite purpose was to maintain in an employable condition a person who was temporarily unemployed. The assumption is that a person who has reached the age of 70 is not employable.
Is the Minister not aware that, whatever may have been the intention in 1934, the real purpose behind this scheme at present and very properly so is that more food should be produced in this country? The Minister knows that many men of 70 years of age could get far more food out of these plots than a lot of the people who have not reached 70 years of age.
Mr. A. Byrne
The Minister has made a statement that any person of 70 years of age cannot be considered employable. Will he convey that view to the authorities in charge of the distribution of allotments and free seeds so that old age pensioners may be permitted to avail of these schemes.
If the primary purpose of the scheme was to produce food, then obviously the allotments should be given to men who are vigorous and whose physique will enable them to cultivate them properly. There is great demand for these plots. Persons who are unemployed are given special preference. Any balance over is immediately applied for by people who can cultivate them and who are prepared to pay an economic rent for them and who can produce an ample quantity of food out of them.
Mr. A. Byrne
We have 300 of them going to waste.