asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware of the congested conditions on Clare Island, County Mayo; and, if so, if he will request the Land Commission to take the necessary steps to ease the congestion there.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Congestion on Clare Island.
The 76 holdings comprised in the Clare Island estate were rearranged by the (late) Congested Districts Board in 1901 and there are no current proposals for further rearrangement.
The Minister, I presume, is aware of the thinning out of the population in Clare Island due to the fact that their holdings are absolutely inadequate. While I do not disagree with what the Minister has said about the settlement by the Congested Districts Board in 1901, that settlement is now of very little value for the reason that conditions have changed. I would ask the Minister to consider directing the Land Commission to increase the size of the holdings there; otherwise, the island will be completely derelict in another 20 years.
I do not think historically the Deputy's suggestion is correct because in the sixth report of the Congested Districts Board, published in 1897, it was stated that: "In practically every instance the islanders are satisfied with the settlement that has been made, though a few are naturally disappointed that their former habit of putting more than their fair share of cattle on the commonage grazing will, in the interests of the tenants, be permitted no longer." The final report of the Royal Commission on Congestion in Ireland, published in 1908, favourably commented on the work that had been done and expressed the view that a very good scheme had been put into operation. In any event, to take these people away from Clare Island would mean that land would have to be provided for them on the mainland and there is no land available for that purpose.
Is the Minister aware that the average poor law valuation of the holdings on that island is from 55/-to 65/-? Regardless of what these commissions have reported, with one word of which I do not agree——
57 years ago.
——may I repeat the question which I put to the Minister? Will he now instruct the Land Commission to go into all that matter? I can assure the Minister that nobody in the West will consider it a crime——
The Deputy is making a speech.
——if some of the people on Clare Island are migrated from it.
The report was made 57 years ago.
Yes, about 60 years ago.
The island is the same size still.
Question No. 24.