andMr. Killilea asked the Minister for Lands if the Land Commission will make the necessary provision for the construction of a road connecting Fohenagh with Lurgan through the Dillon lands on the Cloonbrack estate, County Galway, suitable for taking over and being maintained by the Galway County Council.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cloonbrack Estate, County Galway.
The Land Commission are not prepared to construct a new road through the lands on the Dillon estate from Lurgan to Fohenagh. Such a road is not required for their purposes. They are prepared, however, to make available a right of way on foot over the Dillon estate for the use of the inhabitants of districts to the north and west of the estate as a "shortcut" to the church and school at Fohenagh.
I should like to ask if the Minister is aware that for a long time there has been an agitation to have a road constructed from Fohenagh to Lurgan. I understand the county council are prepared to take over the road provided the Land Commission make a sufficient amount of land of sufficient width available for the construction of the road. The Land Commission could do whatever work they usually do on these roads.
The Land Commission do not purchase land, and they are not allowed by law to purchase land, for the purposes described by the Deputy. The Land Commission have made two roads on this estate. There is a good county road which is a little bit longer.
How many miles longer?
That is not my fault.
If there is an opportunity presenting itself to relieve these people and to obviate their having to travel four or five miles of a roundabout, could the Land Commission not facilitate them instead of doing work creating old by-roads that can only be a pure hardship for the people concerned? Surely the Minister ought to make land available for the purpose of the construction of decent roads in this place.
If the Deputy takes the trouble to study the Acts passed by this House he will find that the Land Commission is permitted to purchase land for four distinct purposes and road making is not one of them. There is no use in the Deputy asking me to do something which the law prevents my doing.
andMr. Killilea asked the Minister for Lands if, in view of the great congestion that exists on the Cloonbrack estate, County Galway, the Land Commission will consider the propriety of taking over the 40 acres of arable land recently acquired by the Forestry Department on the Dillon estate.
The matter has been noted for consideration.