asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the reasons why Mrs. Norah Conway, Kiltarshaun, County Mayo (reference No. 7/21/41651; receivable order No. M.1878/1) is paying an annuity of £1 16s. Od. a half year, for the past 18 months, in respect of land which has been held for this period by Joseph Kelly.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Mayo Land Annuity.
I would refer the Deputy to the very full reply given to his questions last March about the general position at Kiltarshaun. A rearrangement of land was proposed by the Land Commission for Mrs. Conway and other tenants there. The scheme broke down owing to the refusal of a few tenants to agree, but while the negotiations were proceeding, some cases of unauthorised entry into possession took place.
The necessary rental adjustments are being made, and any overpayment received from Mrs Conway will be duly refunded.
I am afraid the Minister has not grasped the significance of the question. In this particular case a rearrangement was agreed to and this land was taken over and given to Kelly. Some time later it appears an inspector of the Land Commission decided to withdraw the agreement and leave the tenants as they were. Every other tenant in the village went back, but Kelly held on to Mrs. Conway's land. Mrs. Conway has paid rent for it for the past year and has suffered a loss of £70 or £80 in respect of crops. I brought this to the notice of the officials of the Department but they did not do anything. Will the Minister see that Mrs. Conway gets this land back and is compensated for whatever loss she may have suffered? It was the bungling of his officials that caused all this trouble.
The Deputy is wrong when he says that the tenants agreed to the rearrangement. The difficulty arose out of the non-agreement of the tenants and any overpayment that has been received from Mrs. Conway will be refunded.
I propose to raise this matter on the adjournment this evening.