asked the Minister for Lands if he will state whether proceedings have been taken by the Land Commission for the acquisition of the holding of Mr. Michael Ginnelly, at Linasillagh, Glenisland, Castlebar, County Mayo; and, if so, the present position in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mayo Holdings.
The Land Commission have decided to take no action for the present for the acquisition of these lands.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state whether the Land Commission have considered the propriety of creating new holdings on the Blake estate at Towerhill, Ballyglass, County Mayo, for the purpose of migrating tenants thereto; and, if so, the number of such holdings.
It would be undesirable and contrary to practice to disclose information of this nature before a scheme of allotment is put into operation.
All that is asked for is the number of residential holdings that it was proposed to create on this estate. I am not asking about individuals or how the holdings will be allotted. How can the Minister suggest that that would interfere with the Land Commission?
The Deputy must surely have taken it from the reply that the scheme is not finally prepared or sanctioned yet. The number of holdings to be divided on this estate is not determined and therefore I cannot tell him.
The Minister is not prepared to state the number of residential holdings that will be created on the estate?
That matter is not determined yet because the number of new holdings created on any particular farm or estate depends on the number of additions or enlargements that have to be given to small, uneconomic holdings in the vicinity and it is only then that the residue is converted into residential holdings. As the number or size of the enlargements that have to be given in connection with this particular estate has not been decided, it would be only pure conjecture on my part to say what number will be created.
Will the Minister indicate when it is going to be decided?
The inspector is working on it for the last few months.