asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state whether, as a result of the special investigation made by his inspectors of farming conditions in the Dunmore area, County Kilkenny, any concessions by way of reduction in tillage quota will be granted to farmers who suffered heavy losses of crops last year owing to flooding, and whose lands have been inundated during the winter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Kilkenny Flooding.
As a result of the special inspection of the lands in question the arable assessments of the occupiers' holdings on which the tillage quotas are based have been modified to some extent and the occupiers notified accordingly.
Is the Minister aware that in the case of Mr. Thomas Hogan, who is one of the farmers affected, he was ordered to comply with the same quota as last year?
I am only aware that this question was raised some time ago and that the chief inspector of my Department has visited the holdings in question and has arrived at a new assessment, whether the new assessment was a confirmation of the old one or a reduction. This new assessment has been notified to the occupiers concerned.
Is the Minister satisfied that in the case of Hogan's farm, which is one of the inundated farms, it is reasonable and just to expect him to comply with the same quota as last year, having regard to the fact that the land is under water and has been under water all winter and that this man lost heavily last harvest?
The Minister is satisfied that the inspector who visited this place took all the circumstances into consideration and that on re-examining this question, the Minister can rely on the report made by that official.
When was that inspection made?
I cannot say exactly.
It was after certain floods but not since the recent inundation.
We cannot have an inspector visiting various farms throughout the country every time there is a heavy rainfall.
I quite agree, but in the peculiar circumstances of Kilkenny if a fresh inspection were carried out since the recent flooding it would disclose that these lands are practically all flooded.
I am sure the position in Kilkenny is bad, but if the Deputy moved around the country he would see that a lot of other lands are also under water.
It is not alone a question of lands; even the houses, the outoffices and everything are covered with water. It is a physical impossibility for these men to comply with the tillage regulations.
Will the Minister say in view of the extensive flooding that has taken place, whether that fact will be taken into consideration when requiring men to carry out the tillage quota fixed? The Minister will understand that there will be cases in which it cannot possibly be carried out and other cases in which it cannot be carried out without substantial loss.
It is not the Minister's responsibility to take these factors into consideration because, should at a later stage any landowner be brought to court, it is the duty of the court to take these factors into consideration. Our experience is that the gentlemen who preside over these courts are very anxious to have regard to all these factors.
Are we to take it, then, that it is proposed to prosecute these men who cannot physically do the job, should they fail to do it?
It is the policy to prosecute any man who, on being notified of what quota of his arable land he is to till, fails to till that quota. That is the policy and that is the law. Should he fail to till that quota, he will be brought to court and it is the court's duty to decide whether or not——
Does the Minister really expect farmers to-day to throw good seed into land which cannot possibly give any return?
Will the Minister allow them to grow rice in these areas?
Nobody knows better than the farmer himself—the farmer knows it better than either Deputy Mulcahy or myself—what the farmer will regard as reasonable in the matter of the application of seeds to land, in whatever condition he may now find it.
The Minister implies that if a farmer regards as reasonable an amount which is less than he is required to till by the tillage regulations, he will inevitably be brought to court.
It is not a matter for determination by me.
How quickly the Gestapo grows!
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the Minister's reply, I propose, with your permission, Sir, to raise the matter on the Adjournment.