asked the Minister for Lands whether he is aware that a circular has been issued by the Land Commission to the tenants of accommodation plots seeking information concerning the purchase of their county council cottages, and, if so, if he will state the number of cases in which the circular has been issued, and whether vesting of the plots will be held up pending the purchase of the cottages.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Vesting and Cottage Purchase.
A number of tenants of county council cottages to whom parcels of land have been allotted by the Land Commission and remain unvested, are being asked to state whether the cottage in each case has been purchased under the Labourers Act, 1936. The inquiry is being made in all those cases where the information is not already available to the Land Commission and, so far, has been made in approximately 1,900 cases. For the present I will say no more than that the information sought is necessary in order that consideration may be given to the vesting of the parcels in question.
The Minister has not answered the last portion of the question, whether vesting of the plots will be held up pending the purchase of the cottages.
I thought I implied that in the reply. A couple of months ago there were 2,500 plots or parcels that were allotted to occupiers of labourers' cottages in the past, and under Section 27 of the Labourers Act, 1936, before consolidation can be effected with the plot on which the house stands, it is necessary to inquire whether the tenant is vested or not. Recently I asked the commissioners to change that so that a parcel can be vested in a tenant who is not himself vested, who is not the owner of the house and plot on which it stands. If the tenant is vested in the house and plot it is necessary for the Land Commission to know it, so that they will be consolidated. If he is not vested they want to know so that they may, if they wish, vest the allotment that has been made by the Land Commission without taking into account the plot on which the house stands.
There is a change in policy?
The Deputy will agree it is a welcome change. If I am to understand from the Deputy that he does not want the plots vested in tenants who are not themselves vested in the house and plot, I certainly will take note of it.
The Minister need not understand anything that is not in the question. I am looking for information in regard to the policy that is being pursued in this matter.
I have answered it fully.
I have made no suggestion in the question as to what should be done. I am taking it for granted that the policy now is that plots can be vested without being consolidated with the cottage. Therefore, it follows that the Land Commission will cease giving accommodation plots altogether. Is that the position?
I do not remember saying that.
I did not say you said it. I am asking is that the position?
I am a bit too long in the tooth to allow words to be put into my mouth that I did not say.
I did not attempt to put words into the Minister's mouth. Time will tell what the policy really is.
The Deputy asked a very simple question and I gave him a very comprehensive answer. I gave him more information in reply to the supplementary question than I did on the written reply. I think he ought to be very satisfied with the answer.