asked the Minister for Lands who were the allottees of land (a) on the Kenny estate, Moneyglen, Broomfield, County Monaghan, and (b) on the MacMahon estate, Brackagh, County Monaghan.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Allotment of Monaghan Estates.
I had hoped that on further consideration the Deputy would have decided not to press this question.
There is no secrecy about the names of the allottees; they are known in the district and they will shortly be available to the public in the records of the Valuation Office. I feel, however, that there should be the least possible invasion of the private affairs of individuals, even where they are the recipients of allotments of land, and it was for that reason that I sought to avoid the publicity of giving their names in the House.
Since the Deputy insists and as the estates, apart from one small area, are completely allotted, I reluctantly give the names. They are in the form of a tabular statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, will be circulated with the Official Report.
For the reason stated, I would appeal to Deputies to be sparing in their use of this type of question.
Following is the statement:—
(a)
|
Estate |
Allottee |
|
Kenny |
Thomas McAtavey, |
|
Elizabeth Martin, |
|
|
James McDermott, |
|
|
Rose Flanagan. |
(b)
|
Estate |
Allottee |
|
MacMahon |
Michael Fee, |
|
James Walsh, |
|
|
Patrick Murphy, |
|
|
Owen Keenan, |
|
|
Catherine Hannaway, |
|
|
Patrick McBride, |
|
|
Patrick Keenan, |
|
|
Edward Kelly, |
|
|
Patrick Martin, |
|
|
Patrick McBride, |
|
|
James Cunningham, |
|
|
James F. Woods, |
|
|
Kate Hamill, |
|
|
John Duffy, |
|
|
Francis Callan, |
|
|
Patrick King. |
I am much obliged to the Minister for his reply but, arising out of it, is he right in the belief that public interest is best served by observing the discretion which he imposes upon himself? If the information is ultimately available in the Valuation Office to those with sufficient sophistication to repair there, is it not infinitely better, from the point of view of the local people, that there should be the fullest declaration of the irrevocable decision of the Land Commission? Would the Minister not agree with me that there is no case in common between communicating to the public the irrevocable decision and of communicating similar information before the allocation is finally determined? In the latter case, I would be in agreement with him, but in the former case I think the course adopted to-day is the wisest one in the public interest.