I sought permission to make this statement because last evening in the House Deputy Noel Lemass made a statement about me, and my family, might I add, which was untrue and unjustified. I read the transcript of the Deputy's speech and I am really at a loss to know what he refers to. He refers to an estate near Loughrea. It cannot possibly, to my mind, refer to our holding in Kilrickle because that property is not and never has been subject to Land Commission acquisition. I think perhaps he means Ballydoogan estate near Loughrea which is subject to Land Commission proceedings at the moment.
The position is that a couple of years ago the Land Commission proceeded to acquire this estate. In the meantime the owner died. His widow, at the end of September, sought from the Land Commission, and got, permission to let half of this estate. On 1st October there was a public auction at which my family acquired part of this estate. As far as I am aware, there is no right of way and never was any right of way through the portion which we now hold.
Prior to the letting of this estate, the owner laid off some of her employees. On the Sunday following the auction, one of these employees came to me in my home and told me that for 16 years he had worked on this estate, that he had had the freedom of a cow and calf and that with his notice to quit, he was also given notice to take his cow and calf out of the estate. This unfortunate man explained to me his position, that he would have to sell his cow and his calf, that he would have to buy milk and his circumstances would be considerably worse than before. I told him to leave his cow and his calf on the division and further instructed my herd not to interfere with his cow and his calf in any way. So, far from locking the gate to keep anybody out, I allowed the man to stay in and he was extremely grateful. That is the true position and those are the facts.