asked the Minister for Lands if he will state why the compensation, consisting of £150 cash and an allotment of nine acres of land, due to Mr. Francis Doherty, ex-herd on the Kingston estate, Kilronan, has not been given to him.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Compensation for Ex-Herd.
A payable order for £150 in favour of Mr. Frank Doherty was issued to his solicitor on the 9th February last and a parcel of land was allotted to Mr. Doherty on the l9th of this month.
I would like first of all to thank the Minister for his information and for the fact that this man has been properly treated. I would like to ask the Minister if it has been brought to his notice that a number of herds and other disemployed persons are being, I might say, tyrannically treated at the present time. I am quite sure the Minister is not aware of that. If I make representations, would the Minister consider looking into this matter?
I will look into any specific case that the Deputy brings to my notice.
Not this particular case but there is a number of other cases in which, I say, the persons concerned are being very improperly treated.
I might say for the information of the Deputy that they have no statutory claim on special treatment by the Land Commission and anything the Land Commission does for that type of person is purely gratuitous.
I know. The fact that there was a clause inserted in the 1950 Land Act surely does not authorise people to tyrannise over people like that. I am sure the Minister never intended it.
That is taking a wrong meaning out of it. The section the Deputy refers to gives permission to the Land Commission to do certain things in certain cases but it does not oblige them. There is a big gulf between the two.
I think there would have been very strong opposition to that clause if it was ever considered that people would be improperly treated, as is being done.
We will thrash that out on another occasion.