asked the Minister for Lands when the Land Commission proposes to take possession of the lands belonging to the Mercy nuns in Roscommon, which they purchased in February 1969; and what the cause of the delay is.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Acquisition and Division.
20.
Though the actual negotiations for the voluntary purchase by the Land Commission of this 114 acre holding have concluded, arrangements cannot be made to take over possession until certain difficulties affecting the vendors' title have been resolved: the Land Commission are and have been pressing to have these matters attended to with the least possible delay.
21.
asked the Minister for Lands when the Land Commission acquired the following estates: O'Haire estate, Newtown-Enfield; Noone estate, Ballinakill, Enfield; Colgan and Prendergast estates, Ballyvoneen, Enfield; and when it is proposed to distribute them.
22.
asked the Minister for Lands when the Land Commission acquired the Moorehead estate, Newtowngirlie, Athboy; and when it is proposed to distribute it.
23.
asked the Minister for Lands when the Land Commission acquired the Hayes estate, Annagh, Clonard; and when it is proposed to distribute it.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 22 and 23 together and to circulate with the Official Report a tabular statement containing details of the dates on which possession of the various properties referred to passed to the Land Commission.
Certain plans have been formulated for the O'Haire, Noone, Colgan and Prendergast estates—aggregating some 760 acres—and I am hopeful that these plans will be approved so as to permit allocation of a substantial part of the total acreage later this month.
Pending completion of the necessary inquiries on the ground it is not feasible to indicate just now when schemes for the Moorhead and Hayes estates can be planned. These inquiries are being pushed forward as speedily as possible.
Following is the statement referred to:—
|
Estate |
Record Number |
Area(acres) |
Date of Possession |
|
O'Haire |
S.26055 |
63 |
3rd November 1967 |
|
Noone |
S.20052 |
92 |
15th October 1962 |
|
Noone |
S.24156 |
259 |
30th May 1967 |
|
Colgan |
S.23660 |
188 |
19th August 1964 |
|
*Prendergast |
S.23076 |
165 |
20th February 1964 |
|
Moorehead |
S.24506 |
175 |
16th February 1968 |
|
Hayes |
S.25407 |
283 |
11th June 1968 |
*An area of 42 acres of the total Estate area of 207 acres has already been allotted.
24.
asked the Minister for Lands (1) how many small holdings have been taken over by the Land Commission in 1968-69 and 1969-70 in Sligo and Leitrim, (2) how many have been allocated, (3) how many have been given to a single individual and (4) how many have been split up amongst a number of small-holders.
Records are not compiled in such a form as to make the precise information requested available but, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report a tabular statement containing details of the intake and division of land in Counties Sligo and Leitrim during the financial years 1968-69 and 1969-70.
Following is the statement:—
|
INTAKE |
DIVISION |
|||||||||
|
Year |
County Sligo |
Area (acres) |
County Leitrim |
Area (acres) |
County Sligo |
Area (acres) |
Number of Allottees |
County Leitrim |
||
|
Number of Properties |
Number of Properties |
Number of Properties or Residues |
Number of Properties or Residues |
Area (acres) |
Number of Allottees |
|||||
|
1968-69 |
57* |
979* |
26 |
512 |
29† |
814† |
68† |
18 |
459 |
43 |
|
1969-70 |
35 |
1,043 |
29 |
737 |
24 |
1,047 |
59 |
11 |
312 |
25 |
|
TOTAL: |
92 |
2,022 |
55 |
1,249 |
53 |
1,861 |
127 |
29 |
771 |
68 |
|
*Figures do not include the Gore-Booth Estate containing 2,633 acres. |
†Figures do not include an allotment of some 560 acres on Gore-Booth Estate for afforestation. |
NOTE: During the two year period in question, 3 holdings in County Sligo and 4 holdings in County Leitrim—purchased by the Land Commission for cash or land bonds—were each allotted to a single individual smallholder, mainly by way of enlargement of his existing holding.