Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Jul 1996

Vol. 468 No. 4

Written Answers. - County Longford Estate.

Hugh Byrne

Question:

862 Mr. H. Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the procedures applied to acquisitions and disposals in relation to an estate (details supplied) in County Longford; where these procedures are laid out; when the estate was acquired in the first instance; the amount of land involved; if he will give details of the subsequent disposal of the estate, including the amount of land disposed of, the date of such disposals and the terms, with reference to the relevant procedure governing this disposal; the reason 5.839 hectares has not been disposed of; when this part of the estate was put to tender; whether all tenders were refused; by whom and the terms under which the land is currently occupied; the amount that has been paid to date for use of this parcel of land; the plans, if any, he has for the proper disposal of this land; if so, the likely time-scale for its disposal; the reason, if any, he will not be in a position to provide all of the information requested; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15417/96]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

This estate, comprising a house and some 12.144 hectares, was acquired on 17 October 1983 under procedures laid down in the Land Purchase Acts and Rules 1848 to 1984. Disposal of Land Commission land is a matter reserved by law solely to the Land Commissioners and is not governed by any statutory rules or procedures.

In deciding the suitability of applicants for this, as for any other land, the Commissioners were guided by their understanding and appreciation of the objectives and aims of the policy operated by the Land Commission. As with all other allocations of the land the Commissioners had to be satisfied that the applicants were able and in a position to work the land and that they had the intention to do so and not to let, sell or assign it.

The lands disposed of to date were allotted under standard Land Commission Purchase Agreements as follows:

Date	Size of parcel	Balance on hands
23 May 1989	House and 0.304 hectares	11.84
21 May 1980	2.934 hectares	8.906
28 May 1990	2.755 hectares	6.151
01 May 1996	5.845 hectares	0.306

A parcel of some 4.997 hectares of the land disposed of on 1 May 1996 was originally approved in 1989 for allotment to an adjoining landowner but was refused by him. A subsequent legal dispute over possession precluded the letting of the land and the Land Commission received no income from the land while this dispute was in progress. The parcel was offered for sale by tender in January 1994 in an effort to establish the level and extent of interest in it. Under the conditions of the invitation to tender the Land Commission was not bound to accept the highest or any tender. In the event none of the tenders was successful and the land was subsequently allotted to a full-time, qualified farmer from an adjoining farm who was regarded as the most suitable applicant from the point of view of age, agricultural qualifications and the proximity of his parent holding. The decision on allotment was made by the Land Commissioners. Every effort will be made to expedite disposal of the 0.306 hectares remaining on this estate.