asked the Minister for Lands if it has been decided to acquire for forestry purposes a large area of arable land in the Ashtown Estate, Woodlawn, County Galway; and if it is the policy of his Department to utilise for afforestation lands suitable for tillage when there are a large number of uneconomic holders and landless men in this area who have made representations to have the land divided amongst them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Afforestation in County Galway.
The Land Commission acquired as much of the estate of Lord Ashtown at Woodlawn as they considered suitable for their purposes and the Forestry Division have acquired a further area of the estate which was not considered suitable for Land Commission purposes. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.
I understand that the Forestry Department have sent their engineers down there and they are acquiring a portion of this farm which is arable land, even though there are uneconomic holders and a large number of landless men in that area. Would the Minister say if it is a fact that the Forestry Department are taking over portion of this arable land for planting, and if it is the policy of the Department to plant arable land in a congested area like that?
A Land Commission inspection discovered that certain of the land offered was not good for ordinary farming purposes. The remaining portion of the land was of such poor quality that it was suitable only for forestry and not for farming.
Is the Minister aware that portion of the land being taken over at the moment is land that gave a crop last year exactly double that in former years?