asked the Minister for Lands if he has yet considered what steps he will take to allocate the 90 acres of land situated at Cooloughra, Ballyhaunis, County Mayo; if he is aware that this is an unresidential holding and that the owner of this land is in America for the past 45 years, only visiting this country once in 1939 for six weeks, and, furthermore, that last year only 1½ acres of this land was cultivated; and whether in the interests of food production and for the relieving of congestion, which is very acute in this area, he will immediately acquire this land and have it divided amongst the tenants.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Mayo Lands.
The question would seem to refer to the lands of Cooloughra, Ballyhaunis, comprising 73 acres, now appearing to be in the ownership of Mrs. Booth. The Land Commission have no information as to the present use of these lands, and in the emergency conditions they do not propose to take any action regarding their acquisition.
asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware that a number of tenants living in the Claremorris area appealed to the Land Commission in 1937 for the division of a holding of land comprising 50 statute acres, owned by Mr. Luke Dillon, Claremorris: that this holding of land was sold by private treaty to a Mr. Clarke, of Claremorris in 1941 against the wishes of the tenants; that the said holding had to be protected by the Gárda Síochána and the L.D.F. against agitators during that period; and that the present owner of this farm is not living on it; and if he will state if it is his intention to have this land divided amongst the tenants whose valuations are as low as 10/-.
Representations were received by the Land Commission for the first time in February and March, 1942, to acquire the lands of Carrowmarley, Claremorris, County Mayo, which were purchased by Mr. Clarke from Mr. Luke Dillon. Owing to the emergency restrictions obtaining, it is not the intention of the Land Commission to take any action at present regarding their acquisition.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state what steps were taken by the Land Commission prior to August, 1940, for the acquisition of the lands of Castlereagh, Irishtown, County Mayo, Churcher Estate, C.D.B. 129, the property of Mrs. Luke Ryan; and when it is proposed to discontinue these proceedings and have the lands divided among local uneconomic landholders.
The Land Commission published on 11th May, 1937, a notice of intention to resume portion of the holding of Mrs. Kate Ryan at Castlereagh, but a petition against the proposed resumption was lodged by the tenant. Further action was deferred pending the clarification of the Land Commission's powers of resumption by the Land Act, 1939. Proceedings in the matter are at present suspended owing to emergency conditions.