asked the Minister for Lands the date on which a farm (details supplied) at Maulnahorna, Carriganima, Macroom, County Cork was purchased by the forestry section of his Department; if the arable land on this farm will be handed over to the Land Commission for sale or division; and, if so, when.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Cork Farm Purchase.
27.
The lands at Maulnahorna were acquired by the Forest and Wildlife Service on 10th October, 1967. The arable portions of the area have been reserved from planting and are being transferred to the Land Commission.
Could the Minister tell me if he has consulted with the Agricultural Institute in regard to the fact that many lands which were considered not to be arable, perhaps as recently as 1967, can, with new methods, be made arable; and would he have a look at those research findings before deciding whether or not lands are unsuitable for anything but forestry purposes?
The Deputy has raised a very interesting point. I shall consider it.
The Minister may be aware of the experiments with the deep plough in Ballyferriter in Kerry——
I am perfectly well aware of all that.
——which has made land arable which was not considered to be so.
I am aware of all that. This is something which led to the manufacture of land rather than to the reclaiming of it. I hope there will be some of that land in Mayo, too.
They have got there first.