asked the Minister for Lands what steps have been taken by his Department to relieve congestion and increase the acreage of small holdings in (a) the Listowel electoral area and (b) North Kerry in general.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kerry Lands.
59.
The official statistics are not compiled by reference to individual districts such as those specified in the question.
In County Kerry as a whole, however, all practicable measures continue to be taken to relieve congestion, through land acquisition and division, enlargement of uneconomic holdings, elimination of fragmentation and operation of the migration programme.
Perhaps it would meet the Deputy's requirements to know that in County Kerry, during the last five complete financial years, an aggregate area of about 5,000 acres was taken over by the Land Commission for division while almost 6,400 acres were distributed amongst some 370 allottees, including the enlargement and/or rearrangement of 262 small or fragmented holdings. During the same period, a total of 29 migrants was transferred to new holdings outside the county while eight similar allottees were resettled within the county. Expenditure on estate improvements works in County Kerry during the period in question was approximately £125,000.
60.
asked the Minister for Lands what acreage of land has been acquired by the Land Commission in the Listowel area during the year 1963; and what acreage it is anticipated will be acquired during 1964 under the provisions of the new Land Bill.
As stated in reply to the preceding question, statistics are not compiled by reference to specific districts. In relation to County Kerry, however, I can say that a total area of 1,900 acres has been acquired by the Land Commission in the current year to date. In addition, some 2,500 acres are the subject of current inquiries for possible acquisition, while compulsory acquisition proceedings and voluntary purchase negotiations are in train in respect of a further 1,400 acres in the county.
Any attempt to forecast what acreage will be acquired next year would be very difficult at this juncture as the circumstances affecting acquisition vary with each individual property. It is hoped, however, that the new powers envisaged under the Land Bill, 1963, will bring about an acceleration in the land acquisition programme generally.
61.
asked the Minister for Lands whether it is his intention to acquire lands offered for sale by local auctioneers, vacant lands, or lands held by elderly people in the Listowel area during 1964; and, if so, what areas of land of this type are at present under consideration for acquisition.
I would refer the Deputy to my recent speech on the Second Reading of the Land Bill, 1963 —Vol. 206, No. 2, cols. 65-89—in the course of which I outlined the relevant proposals for land acquisition, generally, throughout the country.
As the Deputy will know, the Land Commission are now free to pay auctioneers' fees in appropriate cases and they commonly purchase lands offered by auctioneers which are suitable for their statutory purposes. It is not contemplated, however, that the Land Commission should acquire all lands on offer or should otherwise seek to dominate the land market.
Apart from the fact that statistics for the particular area in question are not readily separable, the Deputy will appreciate that many transactions of the type mentioned are conducted on a confidential basis between the Land Commission and the landowners concerned and it is not the practice to publish details in such cases. In my reply to Question No. 60 I have summarised for the Deputy's information current land acquisition measures for County Kerry as a whole.