asked the Minister for Lands and Agriculture if he can state the present position of the Land Commission in connection with the proposed acquisition and division of the estate of William Hopkins at Park and Lyrogue, Leix; whether he is aware that the house attached to the Park portion of these lands was occupied by Mr. J. Thompson, who is the owner of several other farms in the same county, on April 28th, 1926, on instructions, it is stated, received from one of the Land Commission inspectors, and whether the Commissioners do not now propose to divide these lands amongst the local uneconomic holders and landless men; whether Mr. Thompson's previous residential holding at Barraghaun, Errill, Co. Leix (Estate of Richard Edmund Mills, Record No. 1248), was entered in a provisional list published in the Iris Oifigiúil, dated November 20th, 1925, in the name of Mrs. Elizabeth Winters (Thompson's sister-in-law), Ballagh Charleville, Co. Limerick; whether he can state the grounds upon which Thompson was allowed to take up residence on this portion of the Hopkins estate.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - PROPOSED DIVISION OF LEIX ESTATE.
Mr. HOGAN
The following four holdings appear to have at one time been in the occupation of Robert John Thompson:—
|
Estate |
Townland |
Area |
||
|
Wm. Hopkins—S. 2406. |
Park |
111a |
3r. |
30p. |
|
Eglish |
6a. |
2r. |
20p. |
|
|
Lord Castletown—E.C. 2766. |
Clonmeen N. |
95a. |
2r. |
0p. |
|
R.E. Ellis—S. 1248. |
Barraghaun |
54a. |
1r. |
25p. |
|
Do. |
Oldtown |
44a. |
3r. |
24p. |
The holding on Lord Castletown's estate has been purchased under the Land Purchase Acts and is subject to a Land Purchase annuity.
The two holdings—the 54 acres and the 44 acres—on the Ellis estate have been assigned by Mr. Thompson to Miss Elizabeth Winters. The Land Commission propose to resume these two holdings but do not propose to resume the holding on the Hopkins estate.
No instructions were issued by the Land Commission Inspector regarding the occupancy of the house on the holding on the Hopkins estate. Thompson is the tenant of the holding and, therefore, would not require permission from any one to take up his residence on it.
Under what Act and by whose order was Thompson made a tenant of the Hopkins estate to which he recently transferred?
Mr. HOGAN
There is no Act or orders in the matter, as Thompson was a tenant on the estate.
Is the Minister aware that this case was submitted to the Land Judge who acted at the Republican Courts, and that the decision that has now been arrived at—I am not quite sure whether the case has been decided by the Judicial Commissioner—reverses the decision that was given in the old Republican Land Court?
Mr. HOGAN
The decision in this case is shortly this: This is the case of a man who owned 300 statute acres. We are taking 100 acres and leaving him 200 acres or 140 Irish acres of land around the house which he now occupies. We have absolutely nothing to do with the question how he got into the house. He owned land, there was a house on it, he went to live there and he has been left 140 acres of land roughly with the house. We are taking 100 acres, and on the face of it that looks fair.
Has the Minister any information to show the valuation of the property at Barraghaun and Oldtown compared with the valuation of the property that he is now being allowed to occupy permanently with the consent of the Land Commission?
Mr. HOGAN
I have not, but obviously it is land suitable for division. Another consideration that enters into this case is that part of the land which he is left is held subject to a land purchase annuity, and it is difficult to take land of that kind. It is easier, for instance, to take tenanted land. That is a consideration which the Land Commission have to take into account, because they have to give a much bigger price by reason of the fact that the annuity has to be redeemed out of the purchase money. Consequently, they always take tenanted land instead of land subject to a land purchase annuity whenever they get the opportunity.
May I take it definitely then that the Land Commission have finally decided to exercise the compulsory powers given to them under the Land Act to acquire for distribution amongst local uneconomic holders the holdings at Barraghaun and Oldtown?
Mr. HOGAN
That is the decision of the Land Commission.
That is their definite decision?
Mr. HOGAN
The Deputy puts me in a slight dilemma when he says "definite decision." It may be that the lands have been gazetted, and that the time for objections may not have elapsed.
They have not been gazetted.
Mr. HOGAN
Then the Deputy can take it that the decision of the Land Commission is to take these two.