asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the total acreage of land reclaimed under Sections A and B, respectively, of the land project in the period 1st January, 1949 to 31st May, 1956, and the total amount expended under each head.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Reclamation.
From the inception of the land project to 31st May, 1956, the acreage of land reclaimed under Section A was 442,241 acres and under Section B, 101,336 acres. The Deputy will be aware that the land project also provides for reclamation of land by means of the fertiliser scheme under which an area of 92,489 acres has been dealt with, making the total area reclaimed 636,066 acres.
In reply to a parliamentary question by Deputy Donegan on 19th June, 1956, I gave the total expenditure on the land project as approximately £12,970,000. To segregate this expenditure as between the three sections of the project would involve very elaborate calculation and expenditure of staff time which would not be warranted.
It is well to bear in mind, however, that the figure of £12,970,000 is the gross expenditure and includes a figure of £1,725,000 approximately which is recoverable by cash or annuity. In addition, a sum of approximately £192,000 was realised on the sale of the Department's machinery. These receipts will reduce the gross expenditure to a net figure of approximately £11,053,000.