Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 23 Jun 1983

Vol. 344 No. 1

Ceisteanna—Question. Oral Answers. - Land Acquisition and Allocation.

14.

Mr. N. Treacy

asked the Minister for Agriculture (i) the number of applications at present before the Land Commission for the acquisition of land, (a) in the country and (b) in County Galway; (ii) the number of acres of land acquired by the Land Commission (a) in the country and (b) in County Galway in 1983 to date; and (iii) the number of farms and acres therein which the Land Commission has refused to acquire so far in 1983 (a) in the country and (b) in County Galway.

Mr. Connaughton

As the Land Commission compulsory powers of acquisition are not exercised on the basis of applications, answers to parts (i) and (iii) do not arise.

The answer to part (ii) is: (a) 68 holdings, 1,333 hectares; (b) seven holdings, 196 hectares.

Mr. N. Treacy

Perhaps the word "applications" was not the relevant word to use. Would the Minister agree that if a number of farmers in a locality visit the local Land Commission office, or if a public representative makes representations on behalf of these farmers for the acquisition of land, that should be regarded as an application to acquire land? How many representations have been made by groups, or individuals, or public representatives for land to be acquired by the Land Commission over the period?

Mr. Connaughton

I am sorry. I have not got that information here. It is quite difficult to get information of that nature. Some groups may go to the Land Commission office and then do not pursue it any further. It is not practicable to get that type of information.

Mr. F. Fahey

The Minister said the number is seven. Would he define exactly what he means by the number seven? Does he propose to abolish the Land Commission in his proposals for land reform?

Mr. Connaughton

The figure seven refers to the number of holdings acquired in 1983 in County Galway. I want to make it clear that negotiations have been going on for the past 18 months. It is very difficult to put a time limit on the date of acquisition. It is not the intention to disband the Land Commission. It is more a question of redirecting their efforts.

Mr. S. Byrne

Can the Minister tell the House what acreage was acquired by the Land Commission in 1983, if any?

Mr. Connaughton

It would appear from part of the answer to Deputy Treacy that 68 holdings comprising 1,333 hectares were acquired.

Mr. E. O'Keeffe

Is that nationally?

Mr. Connaughton

Yes.

Mr. E. O'Keeffe

Is it the policy of the Land Commission to continue to acquire land for smallholders?

An Ceann Comhairle

These are all separate questions.

Mr. E. O'Keeffe

They are relevant.

An Ceann Comhairle

They are not relevant.

Mr. E. O'Keeffe

What is the Minister's policy?

An Ceann Comhairle

Policy is not relevant. A discussion on policy is not relevant at Question Time.

Mr. F. Fahey

In view of repeated replies to our representations from the Land Commission in County Galway and throughout the country that land cannot be acquired because of the non-availability of finance and the fact that only in very extreme cases — and that is borne out by the fact that only seven were acquired so far in County Galway — is land being acquired by the Land Commission in County Galway? Will the Minister confirm that in most areas where land is now becoming available, as the Minister's own experience will prove, the Land Commission do not want to know about it, and do not want to get involved——

An Ceann Comhairle

I ask Deputies to bear with me. This could be made into a very wide issue. The question asks for a number of statistics. I have checked and the Minister was not asked to make a statement. It is unreasonable to turn this into a debate on Land Commission policy. I am moving on to the next question.

Mr. F. Fahey

The Minister referred to the figure seven in his answer. I want to get to the root——

An Ceann Comhairle

These are separate questions.

Mr. Noonan

(Limerick West): The Minister does not want to answer the question.

An Ceann Comhairle

I will allow Deputy Treacy to ask a supplementary question since he put down the question.

Mr. Noonan

(Limerick West): I know the Ceann Comhairle has no control over that.

An Ceann Comhairle

It is my business to keep us between the rails if I can.

Mr. McCartin

I have a question which is just as relevant as the other questions asked.

An Ceann Comhairle

I have ruled that they were not relevant.

Mr. McCartin

On the question of land policy, it is not true that when Mr. Gibbons was Minister he declared that the Land Commission——

An Ceann Comhairle

I am ruling that out.

Mr. McCartin

Mr. Gibbons told the Land Commission——

An Ceann Comhairle

I have ruled that out. It is policy. Deputy N. Treacy with a final supplementary.

Mr. N. Treacy

As the person who submitted this question I am completely taken aback that the Minister cannot tell us——

An Ceann Comhairle

A question Deputy.

Mr. N. Treacy

——the number of applications before the Land Commission for the acquisition of land. Could I rephrase the question by asking the Minister to tell us how many requests for applications were before the Land Commission in the aforementioned period?

Mr. Connaughton

I have not got that information.

An Ceann Comhairle

Ceist 15.

Mr. F. Fahey

Directly relating to the figure seven——

An Ceann Comhairle

Will Deputies bear with me? The Estimate for the Land Commission is on today's Order Paper and that is the time for this debate. Uimhir 15.

Mr. F. Fahey

Arising from the figure seven——

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy is anticipating the debate on the Land Commission.

Mr. F. Fahey

Based on the Minister's reply, could I ask him why only seven estates were acquired?

An Ceann Comhairle

The Deputy can ask that this evening for as long as he likes.

Mr. McCartin

A Fianna Fáil Minister told the Land Commission to buy no land.

Mr. H. Byrne

People in glasshouses.

An Ceann Comhairle

Ceist 15.

15.

Mr. N. Treacy

asked the Minister for Agriculture (i) the number of farms in the hands of the Land Commission in County Galway; (ii) the total acreage of these lands; (iii) the length of time these lands have been in the hands of the Land Commission; (iv) when it is proposed to allocate these lands among the farmers of the county; and (v) if proposals to allocate some of those lands in early 1983 have been postponed.

Mr. Connaughton

I propose to circulate the information requested, which is in the form of a tabular statement, in the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

Lettable lands in the possession of the Land Commission in County Galway at 16/6/83.

Estate	Record number	Townland	Approximate Location	Area on Hands Hectares	Date of Possession
Barrett	S30114	Bunavan	10 miles north-west of Ballinasloe	8	3/7/81
Black	S30146	Lowpark	8 miles south-west of Ballinasloe	13	22/7/81
Boyle	S29556	Woodbrook etc.	4 miles north-east of Mountbellew	9	16/12/77
Brannelly	S28893	Bleannagloos	2.5 miles west of Ballygar	10	29/11/77
Brehony	S29484	Knockogonnell	2 miles south of Ballymoe	7	25/11/77
Brennan	S29580	Ballydavid	2.5 miles north of Athenry	15	5/12/80
Buckley	S29830	Boherduff	2 miles west of Loughrea	14	2/11/79
*Burke	F29384	Rinville	2 miles south-west of Oranmore	4	10/2/83
Burke	M13735	Derry	4.5 miles south-west of Oranmore	7	10/2/83
*Burke	U.C.2482	Inchaboy South	7 miles south of Gort	7	28/10/80
Carr	S29885	Cormacuach west etc.	6 miles north-east of Athenry	16	21/12/79
Carr	S30039	Keelogues etc.	10 miles west of Ballinasloe	39	1/12/82
Carroll	S30161	Carrowmore	2 miles north-west of Aughrim	17	23/2/83
Carty	S29149	Toomard etc.	8 miles west of Mountbellew	8	16/3/82
Champion Stud Ltd.	S26250	Rinville West	2 miles south-west of Oranmore	17	30/9/76
Clisham	S29776	Killymongaun	1 mile east of Clifden	10	26/2/79
Coen	S29000	Walshtown	12 miles east of Loughrea	15	2/11/76
Coffey	S29368	Cloghbrack etc.	4 miles north-east of Mountbellew	11	2/11/78
Collins	S29797	Carrowreagh	9 miles east of Ballinasloe	11	30/5/79
Connelly	S29976	Carrowbeg South	4 miles south-west of Tuam	4	13/4/81
*Connor	S29708	Marganure	2 miles south-east of Kilkerrin	12	11/9/78
*Corry	U.C.1071	Inchaboy	6 miles south-east of Gort	11	13/9/68
Creaven	S29816	Clydagh etc.	4 miles south-west of Headford	23	7/3/83
Creham	S29812	Cross Eighter etc.	.25 miles south of Menlough	14	15/2/80
Crehan	S29705	Rayhill	3.25 miles south-east of Kilconnell	13	26/10/79
Cryan	S28688	Muckloon etc.	5 miles south of Ballygar	11	12/9/75
Cuddy	S27699	Newtown etc.	6 miles south of Ballymoe	9	3/3/80
*Culkeen	M11877	Rockfield	1 miles east of Kilkerrin	7	1/9/74
Curran	M2044	Kilroe east	13 mile's west of Galway	4	22/4/37
Curran	M14223	Esker	2 miles north Banagher	4	6/9/82
*Daly	S30037	Lissard etc.	8 miles west of Ballinasloe	9	4/9/81
Davies	S29241	Derrygoolin North etc.	5 miles south of Woodford	13	10/5/77
Dermody	S29815	Cloonkeen East	8 miles west of Ballinasloe	16	31/3/80
*Dermody	S30101	Lecarrow	8 miles south-east of Tuam	16	19/5/82
*Devane and Kenny	S27237	Doonwood	3 miles south-east of Mountbellew	4	28/11/80
Devaney	S29730	Mincloon etc.	4 miles north of Galway City	4	1/7/81
Dillon Mahon	S29398	Clonbrock Demesne	9 miles north-west of Ballinasloe	14	3/5/77
Donlon	S29692	Shannagh Beg	2 miles west of Glenamaddy	6	12/9/80
Donnellan	S27901	Cloghnakeava etc.	1 mile east of Gort	8	1/9/878
Duane	S30164	Dooras Demesne	2 miles north-west of Kinvara	13	8/3/82
Duffy	M11671 A	Culliagh etc.	5 miles north of Monivea	7	10/5/74
Fitzgerald	S30018	Castlequarter	3 miles west of Gort	5	13/3/81
Flaherty	S28431	Ballinlawless etc.	3 miles east of Loughrea	9	31/3/78
Fleming	S28676	Ballyhard	3 miles east of Glenamaddy	8	28/8/78
*Fleming	S29704	Tomree	1 mile north of Moylough	27	19/1/79
*Fleming	S27878	Pollacorragune etc.	4 miles north-west of Tuam	14	6/10/76
Forde	S27334	Knockbrack etc.	3 miles north of Athenry	8	12/12/77
Gaffey	S29471	Kilcolumb etc.	6 miles north-west of Creggs	10	28/4/78
Gately	S30221	Muck Loon etc.	2 miles west of Ballytoran	11	15/4/83
*Gannon	U.C.1542	Carrownaseer North etc.	2 miles north of Dunmore	6	8/4/70
Gavin	S29716	Meelick etc.	2 miles south of Mountbellew	16	25/5/79
Geoghegan	S27744	Deerpark etc.	1.5 miles south-west Craughwell	21	30/3/83
Gillane	S27977	Ballyara	1.5 miles south Ardrahan	9	3/12/81
Golding	S29485	Gortavally	3 miles south-east of Mountbellew	7	2/2/78
Gorham	S12172R	Callowfinish etc.	3 miles east of Carna	4	15/2/77
Greally	S29906	Derrydonnell Beg	10 miles east of Galway City	21	21/5/80
Greene	S29819	Lydacan	2.5 miles north of Gort	24	19/2/81
Grogan	S29714	Moorfield	3 miles north of Williamstown	12	4/2/80
Halloran	S28799	Cloon etc.	1 mile east of Cleggan	6	21/2/77
Hannon	U.C.2483	St. Brendans	5 miles west of Ballygar	5	2/4/80
*Hans	S.28619	Moylough More etc.	.25 miles west of Moylough	12	23/12/77
Head	S.29777	Lurganmore	4 miles north-west of Killimor	16	10/1/80
*Heagney	S.30251	Cloghatanna	1 mile north of Portumna	28	12/7/82
Healy	S.27025	Ballynasooragh etc.	4 miles south of Mt. Bellew	11	7/3/80
*Horsman	S.29068	Camus etc.	2 miles south-east of Eyrecourt	28	7/7/76
*Horsman	S.29524	Fearmore etc.	2 miles east of Eyrecourt	13	4/11/77
Hussey	S.29530	Knockogonnell	1 mile south of Ballymoe	6	28/11/80
*Hynes	M.11521	Ardnagno etc.	3 miles south of Kinvara	26	27/7/73
*Joyce	S.29332	Maum West	1 mile west of Maam Bridge	22	1/7/77
Keeley	S.30256	Lecarrow etc.	4 miles north Mountbellew	5	1/12/82
Kellegher	U.C.2024	Limepark North	3 miles east of Ardrahan	5	29/3/74
Kelly	U.C.1427	Cloonascaragh	6 miles south of Ballinasloe	28	18/4/69
Kelly	S.29183	Killaghmore	10 miles west of Ballinasloe	19	7/8/79
Kelly	S.30236	Rockpark	3 miles east of Gort	19	11/4/83
Kelly	S.28501	Callow	2 miles north of Kilconnell	15	24/2/82
Kelly	S.29744	Gortennboy etc.	6 miles north-east of Gort	7	29/7/80
Kerrane	U.C.2398	Cloonminda	3 miles south-east of Williamstown	4	4/2/82
Killoran	EEC/U.C.6804	Moneymore Ease	8 miles east of Galway	36	7/10/80
Lohan	EEC/U.C.6868	Cloonshivna	2 miles north of Newbridge	17	21/12/81
Lydon	M.5449A	Carrowmore Knock etc.	10 miles north of Galway	6	12/4/55
Mahon	S.29314	Castlegar East etc.	6 miles north-west of Ballinasloe	5	1/3/77
Mannion	S.29883	Corraneena	5 miles south of Kilconnell	15	15/4/80
Maloney	S.29996	Tallaunamraher	2 miles north-west of Creggs	14	8/5/81
Martin	S.29701	Liscuill etc.	4 miles south-west of Ballygar	8	22/3/79
Martyn	U.C.2177	Rinn etc.	3 miles east of Kilcolgan	16	2/7/76
*McDermott	S.30200	Stowelodge	8 miles east of Tuam	25	14/5/82
McDonnell	F.52582	Gardenfield	3 miles north of Tuam	4	17/12/80
McHugh and Corrigan	S.30222	Lurgan etc.	5 miles south-east of Mountbellew	15	26/3/82
McLoughlin	EEC/U.C.6707	Faartan etc.	5 miles east of Glenamaddy	14	7/11/79
McNeill	U.C.2414	Ballycuirke West	In Moycullen	24	3/2/75
McHugh	S.27321	Mullaghmore etc.	5 miles south of Moylough	4	8/3/74
Minister for Forestry & Fisheries	S.25306	Slive Murry	4.5 miles north-west of Ballygar	9	1/6/82
Minister for Lands	S.9736A	Cloonbur	In Clonbur	9	31/12/56
*Minister for Lands	S.27404	Lough Cutra Demesne etc.	3 miles south of Gort	30	15/11/74
Mt. Bellew Cowpark	Rt.20	Barnswellgrove	.25 miles west of Mountbellew	4	7/1/71
Mularkey	S.29240	Doonaree etc.	4 miles south of Kilconnell	12	5/3/79
Mullins	S.30250	Derry	4 miles south of Gort	4	30/11/82
Murphy	S.29595	Loughpark etc.	3 miles north of Glenamaddy	5	10/11/78
Murray	S.29667	Gortnahorna	3 miles south of Ballinasloe	4	19/7/79
Murray	S.29907	Derrydonnell	10 miles east Galway City	67	26/6/81
Murray	S.30305	Dooros	2 miles south of Laurencetown	19	15/3/83
Murray	S.29360	Lismanny	6 miles south of Ballinasloe	12	14/10/77
Naughton	S.30165	Eyrecourt Demesne	2 miles north of Eyrecourt	16	24/8/82
Neill	S.29775	Annagh	4 miles south of Castleblakney	10	29/1/79
O'Halloran	S.29605	Ballyludge	8 miles south-west of Ballinasloe	12	14/7/78
O'Connor	S.29641	Fahy etc.	2.5 miles south-east of Kilconnell	68	8/5/79
O'Grady	S.29758	Moanbaun etc.	1 mile north-west and south east Athenry	15	6/9/82
O'Malley	S.29831	Bracklagh etc.	3 miles north-east of Williamstown	23	6/11/78
*O'Neill	S.29128	Maum West etc.	1 mile west of Maam	10	5/3/80
Paley	S.28852	Castlehackett etc.	5 miles west of Tuam	155	23/2/79
*Palmer	S.29325	Lisdonagh etc.	3 miles north-east of Headford	38	7/4/81
Reilly	S.24789	Carrowmore etc.	6 miles east of Loughrea	4	5/4/68
Refferty	S.29687	Attiregan	10 miles west of Ballinasloe	24	24/4/81
Russell	S.30138	Ballycrossaun	4 miles north of Portumna	54	11/12/81
*Ryan	S.28429	Moorneen	1 mile west of Cleggan	5	6/10/80
*Ryan	M.13980	Gortacarnaun etc.	6 miles south-east of Gort	48	18/6/82
Scully	EEC/U.C.6882	Derrymen North etc.	10 miles east of Gort	54	30/7/82
Shaughessy	S.29259	Cloonee	5 miles south of Castlerea	5	3/10/80
Smith	S.29499	Currafarry	3.5 miles north-east of Caltra	4	22/10/81
*Staunton	S.28629	Doonwood etc.	3 miles south-west of Mountbellew	10	6/11/78
Stephens	S.28678	Gortatleva	8 miles north-east of Galway	10	23/6/80
Timothy	S.29318	Cloonlara North etc.	4 miles north of Glenamaddy	9	2/11/79
Treacy	S.29900	Carrowreagh East	4.5 miles west of Monivea	26	5/7/79
Treacy	S.27536	Corrafaireen Peak	7 miles north of Athenry	26	18/3/77
Tully	S.29783	Meelick etc.	9 miles north of Dunmore	8	2/12/80
*Walsh	U.C.1424	Carrownaseer North etc.	3 miles north-east of Dunmore	7	13/6/69
*Walsh	S.29726	Rockfield etc.	4 miles south-east of Glenamaddy	7	15/12/80
Walsh	S.29766	Cloghbrack Lr.	5 miles west of Clonbur	4	18/1/83

Notes:

(1) It is not possible to say when all the properties listed will be disposed of but it is hoped that those estates marked with an asterisk will be wholly or partly allotted in the next 12 months or so.

(2) There has been no postponement in the allocation of lands scheduled for division for this year.