asked the Minister for Lands if he will state how many holdings the Land Commission bid for at public auctions but did not buy since the enactment of the Land Act, 1950, and the reason for their not buying.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Commission Bids at Public Auctions.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state how many holdings have been purchased by the Land Commission by public auction since the enactment of the Land Act, 1950, the dates of such purchases, the places in which such purchases were made, the areas of the holdings and the prices paid.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I will take Questions Nos. 19 and 20 together.
The Land Commission did not purchase any holdings at public auctions. They attended at one auction but did not buy as the holding was sold at a price higher than they were prepared to pay.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, would the Minister not agree that it is a fair inference from that performance of bidding at only one auction and not buying that the Land Commission is not using the powers that were given to it by the Land Act of 1950? Are we to conclude that the provisions of the Act are futile or are being ignored by the Land Commission?
No. The regulations empowering the Land Commission to purchase either by private treaty or otherwise were only completed some time in December, if I remember rightly. They have been instructed to proceed with the utmost caution, as I have already stated in this House, in dealing with that particular matter. They must be sure not to take any action or to proceed in the matter of purchase if there is any danger of causing deflation or inflation.
Does not the "utmost caution" mean they are not taking any action?
Would the Minister read the three days' debate on the section?