asked the Taoiseach if he will state (a) the total number of agricultural holdings in (i) the country, (ii) the congested districts; (b) the number of agricultural holdings in the congested districts (i) under £4 valuation, (ii) over £4 valuation and under £10, and (c) the number of agricultural holdings in areas other than congested districts (i) under £4 valuation and (ii) over £4 valuation and under £10.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Holdings.
The total number of agricultural holdings in the country on 1st June, 1951, the latest date for which such information is available, was 379,123. It is not possible to state the number of holdings in the congested districts on that date, but the total number in the eight counties of Clare, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo was 163,169.
Since particulars of holdings were last classified by valuation in respect of the June 1937 returns, it is possible in reply to the second and third parts of the Deputy's question to give onlyestimates of the 1951 figures. It is estimated that in the eight counties the number of agricultural holdings not exceeding £4 rateable valuation was 55,200, and that the number of holdings above £4 and not exceeding £10 valuation was 51,800. The estimates of the numbers of holdings in the corresponding valuation classes in the remainder of the country are 69,300 and 33,500 respectively.