andMr. McLaughlin asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware of a suggestion that an area of some 80 acres (details supplied) in the townland of Shroof, Monastereden, County Sligo, is or will be offered for sale; and if, in view of the local demand and the large number of uneconomic holders contiguous to it, he will have an immediate report on the matter with a view to assisting these people.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sligo Land Sale.
37.
Mrs. Burke
The Land Commission were endeavouring to purchase this property but they now understand that it has been sold. They are at present considering what further action might be appropriate.
Why did the Land Commission not acquire it when they were interested in this estate earlier?
As the Deputy possibly knows, they were in negotiation with the owner for a very long time for the purpose of completing the sale voluntarily to the Land Commission. Indeed, details of the proposed voluntary sale had been all settled with the owner who then, without notifying the Land Commission, sold it to another person. The Land Commission will have to go through a fairly complicated procedure now in order to get back into the situation where they can look forward to taking these lands.
Is the Minister aware that those are the very things that are creating great discontent in the small farming community? We are continually talking about saving the west and helping the small farmer but here we have a question already asked about Roscommon and now another one about Sligo where four people are anxiously waiting to see this matter finalised by the Land Commission. One of the people who had this land of Corcorans for a number of years past is now told that he must take his cattle off, that the land is sold——
The Deputy may put a question.
We are sick and tired going to the Land Commission offices and coming into this House and having to repeat those statements.
The Deputy may put a question.
I would like to say that we are sick and tired of going to the Land Commission offices and coming into this House trying to repeat those things. It is time that some action was taken. Here you have four small farmers——
I must interrupt Deputy McLaughlin from making a speech on this matter. I want to say to him that I do not always defend the Land Commission, as the House knows, but I vigorously defend them in this particular instance. They were trying might and main to negotiate with this owner for a very long time and were doing so on behalf of these local congests. If the Deputy rightly says that there was local congestion, of course I agree; but let him please not distort the situation here by trying to blame the Land Commission because the blame does not lie in this particular instance with the Land Commission at all. They were doing their very best to acquire this land from the owner on a voluntary basis. They had been working out details of a life annuity scheme, and so forth, for a very long time.
Question No. 38.
Have the Land Commission not power to acquire the land on a compulsory basis? Why not do it when you have four small farmers with young families?
Why not do it? The fact of the matter is that it seems to me that this particular owner codded his neighbours as well as the Land Commission. I am not putting a tooth in that but that does not mean to say that the Land Commission cannot pursue their interests on behalf of the local congests. It means that a legal situation was created which causes difficulties for the Land Commission. They must now try to undo an existing situation before they can create a situation where they can again hopefully, on behalf of the congests, try to take over this land.
I agree with the Minister up to a point.
We cannot discuss this farm all evening.
I agree with the Minister up to a point but I hope this will not be like many other cases we have had.
I resent this and I am not prepared to accept this. We are dealing with the question of a particular holding. If the Deputy has any further criticism to make, let him make it on the Estimate.