asked the Minister for Lands if his Department have any scheme for the relief of congestion in County Mayo; and if he will give an outline of the policy in this regard.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Mayo Congestion.
Mr. Boland
The relief of congestion in County Mayo and elsewhere in the congested districts depends on the extent to which land can be made available for purposes of enlargement and rearrangement both by the acquisition or resumption of lands within these districts and the transfer of migrants from these districts to such lands elsewhere as can be devoted to that purpose. The allocation of lands in hands is proceeding as fast as possible and during the last financial year an area of some 3,000 acres was allotted in County Mayo. As a result of the return of staff, operations have been reopened for the acquisition of land in the scheduled congested districts and all suitable land which is not properly worked and does not provide good employment in those counties will be considered for acquisition as expeditiously as possible. It is the intention also to undertake fresh acquisitions in the Midlands as soon as circumstances permit and to continue the policy of arranging transfers of migrants from congested areas whenever and wherever this is found possible after local needs have been met.
They are not coming to Leix-Offaly. I will guarantee that.
I did not hear the Minister state what acreage was allotted in Mayo.
Mr. Boland
3,000 acres.