Vol. 436 No. 1
1 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach the number of townlands in the counties of Mayo, Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon and Galway which returned a population figure for 1926 but which did not indicate any population presence in the census of 1991; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The information requested by the Deputy is contained in a statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
Number of populated townlands according to the 1926 Census of Population which were unpopulated according to the 1991 Census
|
County |
Number of Townlands |
|
Galway |
224 |
|
Leitrim |
145 |
|
Mayo |
175 |
|
Sligo |
67 |
|
Roscommon |
148 |
|
Total Connacht |
759 |
What is the total figure in the statement in question?
The smallest geographical area for which the population details are published in the census is the district electoral division. While townlands are distinguished and the census collection is organised on that basis it is not statistically possible to get it down to specific townlands, but on the basis of an extrapolation from the records, the total figure of depopulated townlands would be 759 for Connaught.
Will the Minister agree that the exodus of people from these townlands means that all that is left are decaying homesteads and tumbledown houses? Will he acknowledge this represents a human tragedy and that if the figures post 1991 were available they would show that the rot continues?
The Deputy is entering into the area of policy which requires a special question.
Does the Minister of State have comparative information for the rate of rural depopulation here as against other parts of Europe where this phenomenon is occurring, such as the Corréze in France.
I do not have that information but I am aware this is occurring right across Europe. The Deputy will be aware of an article recently published in relation to similar rural depopulation in France.
To continue the institution of Taoiseach's Question Time can the criteria for getting a question on the Order Paper be relaxed so that a question from the Opposition will occasionally appear?
The Deputy is raising a separate matter now.
It is an important matter as it seems to be almost impossible to get a question on the Order Paper which is not transferred to another Minister.
I am afraid I cannot help the Deputy.
Ask the Taoiseach about his appointments for the day.
Does the Minister of State not agree that the disappearance of 759 townlands between 1926 and 1991 makes the strongest possible argument for a developmental plan for the west pioneered and piloted by a specific Minister for a period of time?
The Deputy is straying widely from the subject matter of the question before us.
Perhaps the Taoiseach would like to reply.
The Deputy's question is essentially statistical and, consequently, policy or other matters should not arise now.
If the Minister wants to reply will the Chair allow him? Maybe the Taoiseach would like to reply?
I am coming now to Priority Questions to the Minister for Finance. The questions upon which we are about to embark are priority questions for which 20 minutes only is provided in Standing Orders.
