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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Jul 1967

Vol. 229 No. 11

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sale of Meath Farm.

14.

asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware that the Land Commission allowed a migrant (name supplied) who got a farm in the Murray estate, Gilbertstown, Longwood, County Meath, in preference to local uneconomic holders, to sell the farm within a few years of allocation; and if he has any proposals to prevent a recurrence of this situation in future.

I would refer the Deputy to my reply to his previous Question on 30th May last. The circumstances under which the Land Commission can withhold their consent to the sale of lands are limited and well-defined. In this case the property consists mainly of a holding allotted to a migrant over seven years ago and since vested in him—and the owner had the same rights in regard to sale as an ordinary landowner.

Does the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that it seems a bit ridiculous that a man who is supposed to come from a congested area in the West is brought to County Meath and given a farm worth £7,000 to £10,000, who just lodges in that a few years and then sells it and moves probably back to the West to the same type of farm from which he came? Is he aware that this is only one of a number of such cases that have occurred in the past few years? Are the Land Commission prepared to ensure that this sort of thing is stopped?

This property was vested in the owner and the position was that the man gave up his farm in County Clare for the relief of congestion there.

He was given a farm in exchange in County Meath and the Land Commission took the view, when he applied for permission to sell it, that he should have the same right to sell this farm as he would have had to sell his other farm in Clare.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary not aware that a cottage tenant who wants to sell his cottage has to give portion of the price back to the local authority? This kind of thing has occurred many times. At least this fellow had the grace to live for a couple of years on the farm but in numerous cases, people just got a farm, set it for seven years and then moved off. Surely the Land Commission have some power to prevent that sort of thing happening?

My information is that this is not a regular happening. In fact, it happens very rarely. In most cases, the migrants have held on to their land and have made a great success of farming. The difficulty we face here is that if we were to do what the Deputy wants us to do, it would mean interfering with the right of free sale. It would also mean that the Land Commission would have to come to this House to look for further powers. I doubt very much if Deputy Tully would be in favour of granting those powers.

The Parliamentary Secretary is aware that the Government had no such consideration when they were dealing with cottage tenants. Would he say whether or not he thinks it right that somebody like this should get such a substantial kind of property and should be allowed to do this, particularly in view of the fact that the people who resent it most are the other migrants who, as he says, made a good job of their own holdings? People like this, are too numerous. It is not one individual case; there are dozens of such cases in County Meath where these people are taking advantage of the county and of the Land Commission.

As I explained, my information is that this is a very rare occurrence. I am sure if it were a regular occurrence or if this thing were being abused, the Land Commission would have to take another look at it but my information is that it is a rare occurrence.

Would it not be reasonable to assume, where the Land Commission gave a new holding and put up new buildings and new equipment and if the migrant determined to relinquish it by sale or otherwise after a limited time, the Land Commission should re-acquire it and allot it to some other suitable person? Indeed, unless my recollection plays me false, I believe that the late Senator Moylan when he was Minister for Lands actually brought into this House and passed a Bill conferring such powers on the Land Commission to deal with just this type of case.

Of course, this is a matter for the Land Commission to decide.

Yes, of course, but they have the power surely under the late Senator Moylan's Act?

Question No. 15.

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