asked the Minister for Lands what sum has been obtained for the letting of the Barry Estate, Lusmagh, Banagher, Offaly; and what was the cost of fencing, labour and materials.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Letting of Offaly Estate.
13.
Lettings on this estate realised £235 which represented, in the aggregate, the highest offer. A sum of £74—consisting of £33 for materials and £41 for labour—has been expended on permanent fencing.
Is it not a fact that a group of local people made an offer of £200 and that no question of fencing came into the discussion at all, with the result that that offer of £200 would have been of greater benefit to the Department than a sum of £235 less the cost of fencing?
There was an offer of £200 made privately immediately after the auction on the 10th May. A sum of £200 was offered for the entire estate on condition that the Land Commission would fence off plot No. 2 and permit the lessee to sublet plot No. 2. Therefore this good gentleman to whom the Deputy refers wanted the Land Commission to fence it and at the same time wanted to sublet it.
Is it not a fact that the small holders in the locality, not this gentleman friend of the Minister —I am not referring to him at all— made an offer of £200 and that it was a friend of the Minister, an outsider, who got this land at a fake auction? Is that not the position?
The fact is as I have stated, but if the Deputy wants to fish in troubled water in Lumsnagh and become associated with the people of Lia Fail down there, he is welcome to it.
Does the Minister now deny that he got a greater offer——
Get Fr. Fahy to say Mass for you down there.
This is a very important matter. The Minister is afraid to answer this Question. May I ask——
I have already called the next question.
May I ask a Supplementary Question?
I have called the next Question.
The Minister began to answer the next question before you rang the bell, Sir. In other words, the Minister does not want the House to know the facts.
I allowed three Supplementary Questions.
I resent the fact that the Minister began answering the next Question before the Chair gave a ruling. I want to make it clear that this Minister is not prepared to give the true facts with regard to this farm of land. He is trying to blackguard the unfortunate local people as the Taoiseach and others tried to blackguard the parish priest before.
The Deputy will resume his seat.
On a point of order, Sir, I regret to draw your attention to the fact that I understood the Minister to interpolate: "Tell Fr. Fahy to say a Mass for you down there." I suggest that such an interpolation is disorderly and that references to the Mass should be omitted from our proceedings in this House.
They are only a bunch of hypocrites.
I did not hear the remark. If it was made, it should not have been made.