asked the Minister for Lands how many farmers have availed themselves of the life annuity scheme since its introduction.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Farmers' Life Annuity Scheme.
49.
Price agreement has been reached with 38 landowners and life annuities have been set up in 31 cases. In six other cases, the necessary legal requirements as regards title, with a view to setting up life annuities for the landowners concerned, are proceeding.
In the remaining case, the Land Commission are awaiting a decision by the vendor as to whether he will opt for a life annuity in lieu of all or part of the agreed purchase price.
Can the Minister say if he is satisfied that the scheme was published adequately or was it because it was not publicised that the numbers were so low? Further, will he state how the scheme was publicised?
There is no reference in the question to the matter of publication of the scheme. Consequently, I have no information available to me as to the manner of publication. Arising out of the last Land Act, it was generally known that this scheme was being introduced. It would be very difficult to know whether the small number of agreements reached is due to lack of advertising as such.
Would the Minister be prepared to say whether it was because of lack of publicity that the number of agreements reached is so few?
That is not necessarily so. Some people may have been under the impression that the life annuities or the agreed purchase price in certain cases might have been more but there is also the point that the older farmers do not wish to part with their land.
Has the Minister any idea as to what was the cost of setting up the scheme? A booklet was prepared and circulated to Members of the Oireachtas——
That was the only publicity given to the scheme.
We are subjected to a great deal of publicity——
That is a separate question.
The Minister has told us that agreement has been reached only in 31 cases but can he tell us what was the administrative cost? I suppose it was about £1,000 in each case.