asked the Minister for Lands the number of field officers in County Longford available to his Department for (a) acquisition of land and (b) preparing division schemes for land acquired.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Commission Field Officers.
29.
Counties Longford and Westmeath constitute a single inspectorate area in the charge of an inspector, grade 1.
There are 4 field officers assigned to the area for the purpose referred to by the Deputy. One is engaged full-time on acquisition work; the other 3 are normally engaged on resale work but are available for acquisition work when necessary. They are assisted by an estates officer.
May I suggest to the Minister that four field officers to deal with two counties, particularly when one of the counties is County Longford where there is serious congestion, is a totally inadequate number; that the reason why acquisition and redistribution is going ahead so slowly is that these men, with the best will in the world, are just snowed under with work? Could the Minister, as a matter of urgency, increase the number of staff available in that office?
Is the Deputy's complaint that Longford is suffering by being included in a two-county area?
I am saying there are not enough field officers to deal with the two counties.
I shall have the matter considered.