asked the Minister for Lands if he will state when the Land Commission proposes to resume its normal activities in respect of the acquisition and distribution of lands.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Commission Activities.
It is not clear what meaning the Deputy attaches to the word "normal" in his question. In fact, during the ten year period prior to 1939 the acreage of land acquired for division by the Land Commission under the Land Acts 1923-39 in a single year has varied from 21,000 acres to 112,000 and the area divided has varied from 32,000 acres to 104,000 acres. It is plain, therefore, that the rate of land division is dependent on circumstances and that there is no such thing as a norm. At present, shortage of materials (particularly building materials), difficulties of transport and lack of trained staff restrict the acquisition and division of further land, and it is not possible to state when these adverse conditions will cease to obtain nor can it be expected, as I have frequently explained, that land division can be continued in future years at anything approaching the rate to which we have been accustomed.
Is the Minister aware of the fact—nobody ought to be more aware of it than he is—that during the past six years Land Commission activities in the matter of acquisition and distribution of land have been seriously curtailed; and that there are still, in many parts of the country, considerable areas of land which local people are anxious to have acquired and divided? Can the Minister give any indication as to when the Land Commission will abandon the policy of going slow which they adopted in 1939 and resume the acquisition and distribution of land on a scale which will make reasonable provision for the requirements of persons who are anxious to secure portions of these holdings which, in many cases, are untenanted and could, if acquired and divided by the Land Commission, be a profitable source of living for a large number of small holders and landless men?
There has been rather a lack of activity by the Land Commission for the past six years in the matter of land acquisition. It is hoped that in the almost immediate future the Land Commission, having got most of its staff back, will engage in—shall we accept Deputy Norton's word—"normal"——
I withdraw the word "normal" so far as the Land Commission is concerned. Carry on with the rest.
Nevertheless, if we are to accept the policy put forward by Deputy Davin in his question of dealing with cottage tenants and landless men, may I say that landless men are not really the matter of primary concern of the Land Commission? The Land Commission has as its major concern the question of dealing with congestion, and the division of land amongst cottage tenants and landless men does not tend towards the solving of the congestion problem. When the Land Commission—as I hope in the immediate future—becomes more active in the question of land acquisition and division, it must direct its attention particularly to the question of the relief of congestion and not to matters such as Deputy Davin has raised.