asked the Minister for Lands the number of Gaeltacht families settled in County Meath since 1935; whether the Government regarded this scheme as successful; and, if so, whether it is the policy of the Government to extend this scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Gaeltacht Families in Meath.
32.
The Report of the Irish Land Commissioners for the year and period ended 31st March, 1952 — which, I understand, is available in the Library — contains by way of Appendix an illustrated review of the colonisation scheme whereby 122 Gaeltacht families were resettled by the Land Commission in County Meath during the period 1935-40. As indicated in this review, the scheme proved a success. Since 1940, the establishment of colonies on such a large scale has not been practicable: nowadays, the migration programme is aimed, with like success, at the resettlement in Eastern and Midland counties of smaller groups of families from the same congested neighbourhood in the West. Gaeltacht tenants are, of course, included in these schemes but precise statistics of such migrations are not readily available.