(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Agriculture when he intends to introduce legislation in regard to the future of the Land Commission; whether this legislation will provide for changes in land policy taking account of the stated aim of the Government to increase the rate of land mobility; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Abolition of Land Commission.
19.
It is hoped that legislation to abolish the Land Commission will be introduced during the current Dáil session, at which time the proposed approach to future land policy will be outlined. Legislation to give effect to new policy proposals will be introduced in due course.
(Limerick West): Will there be a statutory body to replace the Land Commission?
Obviously, the proposals I have for a new land policy are only now before the Government and I cannot prejudge what the outcome in that respect will be. I might say, though, that some people seem to have a wrong interpretation of the land authority if we are to have regard to the various press speculation. Obviously what we are talking about is a method of involving all the various interests in the whole land structure side so that there can be a meaningful input by those people into the policy. That is something this country never had in its history and that is what all the talk is about.
(Limerick West): With due respect to the Minister, what he has just said is utter nonsense. He has failed to respond to my question as to whether this body will be statutory or non-statutory and whether they will have teeth. It appears that the Minister does not know. Will this body have powers in regard to acquisition and distribution of land similar to those the Land Commission had?
There would not be much point in abolishing the Land Commission and appointing a new body if the new body were to do nothing except what the Land Commission did in the past. I have explained to the House on a number of occasions in the past couple of years that as far as land policy is concerned, the demands are different in many ways from what they were in the past. All Governments have grappled with this over the years. I hope that in the next few months, after long deliberations with all the organisations around the country, the proposals will be brought onto the floor of the House.
How long are they with the Government?
(Limerick West): They have been there for the past three and a half years.
How long were they there before that?
How long were they with the Government?
Only the Deputy who raised the question can ask supplementaries.
The period of gestation was worrying us.
(Limerick West): Has the Minister any proposals to improve land mobility?
I have indeed.
(Limerick West): Would the Minister like to indicate them to the House?
As the Deputy is aware, I was the first to introduce land leasing——
Land leasing has been there for decades. I operated land leasing long before the Minister came to Dáil Éireann.
(Limerick West): I have another question to ask. Is the Minister aware of the large tracts of land being purchased by persons with no interest in and no knowledge of farming who are simply taking advantage of the weak position of farmers in recent years, particularly since this Government took office? If so, what does he intend to do about it?
That is one of the problems.
As in all the years past——
(Limerick West): Do not give us this waffle.
This type of talk that the Deputy is carrying on with——
(Interruptions.)
Deputy, please——
This must be a rational debate about a very important subject. Of course there are persons buying land who should not be allowed to buy under certain circumstances. It is very involved because the owners must be entitled to the price on the day whether at a public or a private auction. In any scheme to ensure that land is directed into the hands of farming families, obviously we must take note of the constitutional factor in regard to free sale. This is the type of thing that will be in the new Bill. I hope the Opposition will go along with this because it is not now that this should be before the Dáil; it should have been here 15 years ago.