(Cavan) asked the Minister for Lands if there has been any change in the policy of the Land Commission in purchasing lands for relief of congestion or for distribution; or if it has recently been decided to slow down or suspend the purchase of such lands.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Purchase of Lands.
16.
The answer is in the negative.
Surely the Parliamentary Secretary realises that there are proposals from Westmeath and nearly every county in Ireland before the Department awaiting sanction for the past six months and that it is impossible for the local officer to get sanction from the Land Commission?
The question asked whether there is a change of policy by the Land Commission in regard to the purchase of land and the answer is that there is no change of policy.
Could the Minister tell me the reason for the hold-up? In the past sanction could be got in a month or five weeks. At the present time sanction in many cases is not received for three or four months. It is even five months in some cases.
There may be many reasons for the delay.
Do all the reasons happen to crop up at the same time as the economic crisis which we have at present?
The sum of £365,000 in cash has been provided this year, which represents an increase of £95,000 on the provision for the year 1964-65.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary tell us how much has been paid?
I can. Up to 30th September a sum of £139,000 was paid.
That is only one-third.