asked the Minister for Lands if he will state (a) the amount of land annuities collected for the period ending March 31st, 1947; (b) the number of cases in which proceedings were taken for the sale of holdings in respect of which arrears of land annuities could not be recovered; and (c) the number of cases in which farmers were deprived of their holdings through legal proceedings being taken against them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Annuity Arrears.
Mr. A. Byrne
I assume that the Deputy's question has reference to the financial year ended 31st March, 1947:—
(a) The amount of land annuities collected by the Land Commission from tenant purchasers during that year was £2,374,429. In addition, the sum of £123,197 was collected under the Labourers Acts.
(b) During the year 36 holdings, in respect of which there were arrears of annuity, were sold by public auction and 33 were sold by private treaty; in 75 cases sale proceedings were withdrawn on settlement; and in 57 other cases in which proceedings were in progress during the year no sale resulted.
(c) The number of cases in which possession of holdings was obtained by the Land Commission during the year ended 31st March, 1947, owing to default in payment of land annuities was 15.
Mr. Byrne
Will the Minister, in cases that are pending, use his powers to see that there are no evictions from these lands? Is it possible that evictions have taken place for non-payment of land annuities through no fault of the land holders? If there are any cases pending, will the Minister see that these tenants will not be evicted and that they will get opportunities of meeting the claims of his Department?
First of all, I should like to inform the Deputy that taking possession, or retaking possession, of land is the very last thing the Land Commission wishes to do. It is a nasty duty at the best. The Deputy mentions evictions. My information is that in scarcely any case has there been an actual eviction, for the simple reason that the lands affected are very often not occupied; in other words, these holdings are left to become derelict. It is the duty, of course, of the Land Commission to recover annuities. If annuities are not paid by the tenant, they have to be paid by the ratepayers of the county in which he resides. We are up against the problem, that if these annuities remain unpaid, we have to recover them from the hard-working, honest ratepayers who have quite enough to carry on their backs without having to pay annuities for other people who refuse to carry out their obligations in that respect. That is the situation as I see it and something has to be done about it.