asked the Minister for Lands if he will give particulars of all lands held by the Land Commission and his Department in County Waterford, indicating in respect of each (1) the size, situation and name of previous owner, (2) the purpose of acquisition, i.e., whether for division or afforestation, (3) the date of acquisition, and (4) when, approximately, each holding will be divided or planted, as the case may be.
Written Answers. - Waterford Lands.
42.
The information is as follows:
Co. Waterford—Lands on hands.
Land Commission
As the allotment season is just now at its peak, the lands on hands position, generally, is fluctuating daily. I shall communicate direct with the Deputy, regarding the information requested, when the position becomes stabilised in about a month's time.
Forestry Division
Information on lands acquired for State Forestry purposes is not readily available in the form sought by the Deputy and it would be extremely difficult, administratively, to extract it specially.
The following table shows, for each Forest centre in Co. Waterford, the total productive area held on 31st March, 1959 the total area planted on that date, the reserve of land nominally available for planting, the planting programme for the current year and the gross area acquired to date in the current year:—
|
Forest |
Total Productive Area |
Total Area Planted |
Nominal Plantable Reserve |
Planting Programme 1959-60 |
Gross area acquired in 1959-60 to 26th March, 1960 |
|
(acres) |
(acres) |
(acres) |
(acres) |
(acres) |
|
|
Cappoquin |
3,361 |
1,937 |
1,424 |
165 |
241 |
|
Clonmel |
1,764 |
1,757 |
7 |
— |
— |
|
Comeragh |
2,845 |
2,599 |
246 |
208 |
51 |
|
Curraghmore |
3,433 |
3,285 |
148 |
119 |
89 |
|
Dungarvan |
2,901 |
2,578 |
323 |
63 |
— |
|
Kilsheelan |
4,828 |
4,768 |
60 |
18 |
— |
|
Nier |
1,184 |
1,181 |
3 |
67 |
273 |
|
Ring |
1,643 |
1,498 |
145 |
124 |
136 |
|
TOTALS |
21,959 |
19,603 |
2,356 |
764 |
790 |
It should be noted that a substantial part of the nominal plantable reserve held by the Forestry Division is not immediately available for planting for various reasons e.g. land affected by grazing or turbary rights, exchange or sale proposals, nursery utilisation etc. All available land will be planted as soon as practicable, due account being taken of the importance of planning planting programmes a few years ahead, in so far as that is possible, in order to maintain a regular pattern of development and to keep employment at as steady a level as possible.
Following are figures for acquisition and planting, for Co. Waterford as a whole, in recent years:—
|
Year |
Gross Area Acquired |
Area planted |
|
(acres) |
(acres) |
|
|
1953-54 |
1,151 |
770 |
|
1954-55 |
892 |
956 |
|
1955-56 |
477 |
908 |
|
1956-57 |
358 |
833 |
|
1957-58 |
1,484 |
820 |
|
1958-59 |
256 |
1,475 |
|
1959-60 |
790 (to date) |
764 (Programme) |