asked the Minister for Agriculture if his Department will recommend a reduction in the interest rates being charged by the Irish Land Commission on purchase order on lands (details supplied) which were valued at a very high rate at the time of purchase five years ago in Gaeltacht Rathcairn, Contae na Mí.
Ceisteann—Questions. Oral Answers. - Meath Land Purchase.
9.
The fixing of annuities in respect of land allotted by the Land Commission is a matter solely for the Commissioners. I understand, however, that the holdings concerned have been revested in the allottees and that it is not possible, therefore, to reduce the annuities or the interest rates which have been fixed on these holdings.
Is the Minister aware that in the first instance the holdings allocated to people on going to the Gaeltacht were rather small and that with the additional land now, the repayments are greater than the repayment they had to make on the original holding so that the people are finding it rather difficult? Will the Minister have the matter investigated with a view to alleviating the problem?
As the Deputy is no doubt aware, the estate he refers to was allocated in 1980 and shortly after that representations were made to the Land Commission and there was a reduction of 50 per cent of the annuities at that stage. What complicates the matter now is that the land has been vested in those owners and obviously because of that the Land Commission are not in a position to intervene. There is little that one can do about this.