asked the Minister for Lands whether he is aware that Mr. Patrick McGovern, Ballinagillan, Dunboyne, County Meath, a former herd on the R/H Duddy estate, was given only a small cash settlement, a herd's house in very bad repair, and two roods of ground when the farm was being divided by the Land Commission, and, if so, if he will request the Land Commission to have a farm given to this man on the next estate to be divided in that neighbourhood.
Ceisteann—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Meath Estate.
I am informed by the Land Commission that they have reconsidered this case on more than one occasion and in the absence of fresh evidence in support of Mr. Duddy's claim have decided to adhere to their original decision.
Mr. Tully
Is the Minister aware that the Land Commission, when allocating this farm, gave the man who had been herding the farm for 33 years a tumbledown herd's house, two roods of land and they offered him £103 and, when he asked for reconsideration of the matter, he was told he could apply to the Local Government Department for a grant to repair the house? Does the Minister consider that is proper treatment to give a man who is depending for his livelihood on the farm having regard to the fact that he lost everything when the Land Commission took it over?
I am aware of this case. Under the Land Acts, there is nothing I can do. The decision is one for the commissioners only. The Minister cannot interfere and if the commissioners decide they have discharged their obligations to this man in making the offer, that is that.
Why do you not do something with them?
Mr. Tully
Does the Minister now say that he has no authority over the Land Commission and that these are a group of civil servants who do not owe any responsibility to anybody but themselves when giving away large grants amounting in some cases to as much as a Hospitals Sweep prize?
Would the Minister say whether the steps taken in this case were taken under the Land Act of 1949-50 and whether the steps were in accordance with Government policy?
That is an enlargement of the question.
Government policy cannot override an Act of this House. The Act the Deputy refers to, as well as previous Land Acts, gave to the commissioners certain powers and took them out of the hands of the Minister and the House. The case referred to in Deputy Tully's question comes within the ambit of one of these particular matters. For Deputy Tully's information, the Minister has power over the Land Commission in certain respects and if the Deputy refers to Section 12 of the Land Act, 1950, and Section 6 of the 1933 Land Act, he will find there certain matters taken from the Minister and given exclusively to the complete discretion of the commissioners. This is one. I think that answers the Deputy.
Under an Act passed by the Minister himself.
Mr. Tully
As I am not satisfied with the Minister's reply, I beg leave to raise the matter on the Adjournment.