Vol. 296 No. 5
asked the Minister for Lands the number of schemes submitted during 1976 for division of lands in County Mayo; the number that were not allocated in accordance with the original recommendations of the local offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
118.
asked the Minister for Lands if the Griffin estate, Carrabeg, Kilkelly, County Mayo, was divided in accordance with the scheme submitted by the area Land Commission office; and, if not, if he will make a statement on the reasons why the scheme was changed.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 118 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the selection of allottees is a matter which is reserved by law to the lay commissioners. They have the final decision and responsibility in all matters relating to the division of Land Commission lands. Such recommendations as they receive from inspectors prior to these decisions are confidential matters which may not be disclosed.
The number of schemes submitted in 1976 for division of lands in County Mayo was 64.
119.
asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware of the dissatisfaction of local farmers with the manner in which the Griffin estate, Carrabeg, Kilkelly, County Mayo, was divided; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I need hardly remind the Deputy that the selection of allottees for Land Commission lands is a matter which is reserved by law to the lay commissioners.
I understand from the Land Commission that they have received a protest about the manner in which the Griffin estate was divided and that the protest relates in particular to an allotment of 22 acres to one farmer who had sold a 14 acre farm in the last year of so and who at the time of allotment held some 76 acres.
I am informed that the lands held by the allottee in question are mainly of poor quality with a rateable valuation of £10.65 and that on the sale of the 14 acres already referred to he bought lands nearer his residence. In those circumstances the Land Commission did not regard the sale as unfavourable to his application. It may be mentioned that the purchaser of the 14 acres—a local congest—also received an allotment from the Land Commission. The Griffin estate contained a large portion of bad land which took up much of the road frontage thereby necessitating the creation of some large divisions. The allottee in question being an excellent farmer and having the capacity to reclaim the inferior lands was selected for one of the larger allotments.
