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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 3 May 1944

Vol. 93 No. 13

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Division of Mayo Lands.

asked the Minister for Lands if he can state when he intends to have the 6,000 acres of land in the hands of the Land Commission in County Mayo allocated to the small farmers of Mayo.

The Land Commission are not in a position to state when they will be able to divide the untenanted lands in County Mayo which are at present in their possession. They are doing their best to divide as much land as possible, but are greatly hampered by the present emergency conditions, and progress is necessarily slow.

asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware that to divide unoccupied holdings amongst small farmers and sons of small farmers, rather than allow the holdings to be lying uncultivated, would be an asset to food production; and if he will see that this work is put in hands with the least possible delay.

It is not clear to what class of "unoccupied holdings" the Deputy refers, but he may have in mind holdings which have become derelict by the insolvency, absence or death of the owners. Owing to their present shortage of staff the Land Commission are unable to undertake fresh proceedings for acquisition except in special cases, but the provisions of Section 37 of the Land Act, 1927, enabling the Land Commission to take possession of holdings for default of the tenant-purchasers in payment of their instalments of land purchase annuities have been and are applied in a number of cases. It would be to the national advantage if the Deputy would be good enough to report to the Department of Agriculture any cases of uncultivated holdings within his knowledge, with a view to the enforcement of the compulsory tillage regulations.

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