asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware that the Cork County Council had to remit portions of rates due by several tenants of the P. & J. Ryan Estate, Ballycotton, County Cork, recently handed over by the Land Commission to these tenants, because the Land Commission did not make provision for the abatement of flooding of large portions of this estate; and if the Land Commission will take steps to have these waterways cleared and the flooding abated.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Flooding on Cork Estates.
11.
I have no information regarding the remission of rates due by some tenants on this estate.
The Ordnance detail shows that the lands on the eastern part of the estate in Ballybraher townland, in common with adjoining lands outside the estate, are permanently liable to floods. They adjoin an area flooded by tidal action. The relief of this type of flooding is not the responsibility of the Land Commission. The allottees were aware of the condition of the lands at the time of allotment.
Is the Minister aware that up to six years before this happened that place was completely dry and there was no flooding? It was only recently and due to the neglect of the Land Commission in not clearing the stream, that this heavy flooding occurred. Those unfortunate tenants, I understand, are paying rent to the Minister's Department for the land they got. They also had an inspection of that land by the rating officials of Cork County Council and they had to be relieved of the rate due to the neglect of the Land Commission. Has the Minister any respect at all for the money that has been expended and paid for the purchase?
I understand that the flood relief measures involved would be extremely costly and that it was made perfectly clear to the allottees that the Land Commission would have no responsibility for improving the drainage conditions and they took the land under those conditions.
Is the Minister aware that there is a pretty considerable sum charged in his Estimate each year for land improvement?
12.
asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware that the lands of the Gaskell Estate, Garryvoe, Ballycotton, are water-logged on account of the condition of the sluices, with the result that farmers are unable to sow the early crops for which the district is famous; and if the Land Commission will now take steps to protect the advances which they made for the purchase of the holdings, either by compelling the trustees of the estate to repair and clear the sluices, or by compulsorily acquiring the land on which the sluices are situated.
I am advised that the periodic flooding of some vested holdings on this estate is due to the absence of natural fall in the stream draining the holdings and, as a result of tidal action, to the blocking by sand of the outlet channel to the sea.
The lands through which the outlet channel flows are privately owned and any question of compelling the owners to clear the channel is a matter for the farmers whose lands are stated to suffer from periodic flooding.
Is the Minister aware that in this case the Land Commission stepped in under the 1924 Act and purchased this estate compulsorily? The Land Commission excluded the portion of the land covered by the sluice. That is now the cause of all the flooding. That was left in the hands of the landlord for letting for duck shooting and of course the more water, the more money the landlord would get for the shoot. Would the Minister say if he is prepared to take any steps now for the compulsory acquisition of that part of the estate so that this land may be drained? The poor law valuation is 35/- per statute acre. The tenants are paying enough.