andMr. Beirne asked the Minister for Lands if he will state whether during the course of their unsuccessful negotiations to purchase the Rockingham Estate the Land Commission made a firm offer to the owner; and, if so, by what amount this figure was less than that sought by the owner.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rockingham Estate: Purchase Negotiations.
21.
The sale negotiations were on a voluntary basis and it has not been the practice to publish details of price discussions with owners who offer their lands voluntarily to the Land Commission.
Will the Minister take it that I am not asking for information as to what the offer was on the part of the Land Commission? I am simply asking what the gap was between the offer made by the Land Commission and the price asked by the owner? Is the Minister, in the public interest, prepared to make known now what the gap was?
It is not the practice to publish in any form information in connection with unsuccessful negotiations where there is a question of compulsory sale to the Land Commission.
Is the Minister not aware of the position at the moment? The belief is that the owner of these lands is being wrongly blamed for his failure to co-operate in a suitable manner in relation to the sale. Is he further aware that the price offered by the Land Commission was so scandalously low as to prevent any type of sensible arrangement being come to with regard to the sale of this farm?
The Deputy should not listen to all the stories he hears about Land Commission negotiations.
With your permission, Sir, I should like to raise the subject matter of this question on the Adjournment.
I shall communicate with the Deputy in the course of the afternoon.