asked the Minister for Lands and Fisheries whether it is the intention of the Land Commission to make a bog road leading to turbary in the Caulfield Estate, County Roscommon, in order to enable the tenants on the Rodney Estate to get home their yearly supply of turf.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - MAKING OF BOG ROAD IN ROSCOMMON.
Both the Caulfield and Rodney Estates, which adjoin, were purchased by the late Congested Districts Board many years ago, and large sums were expended on improvements on both estates by the Board. The holdings of the tenants on both estates have since been vested in them. The turbary allotted to the Rodney tenant-purchasers is situate on the Caulfield Estate, and the Board made, many years ago, when dealing with the estate, such roads as were considered necessary. The Land Commission cannot undertake further expenditure on roads on these estates.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that about twenty years ago the tenants gave up their old homes and their turbary with roads leading to it, and that this new turbary was divided amongst them by the Land Commission? There is no road going to it, and how does he expect the people are going to get their turf home? They are paying 6/8 per annum for the making of this road, and is it fair that they should go on paying it when they have no road?
Turbary was distributed many years ago by the Congested. Districts Board. A considerable sum of money was spent in improving these estates and in making roads into the turbary plots. Now that the holdings are vested the Land Commission has no authority to spend money on holdings of that description. If these people want additional roads the County Council is the road-making authority.
My point is that they are paying 6/8 a year for a road that has never been made.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary denying that they are paying 6/8 a year for that purpose?
I am not aware that they are paying 6/8 for that purpose.
Mr. BOLAND
If it transpires that that is the case, will the Parliamentary Secretary——
That is really a different question.
Mr. BOLAND
I got an assurance that in cases like that, where estates were divided and a sum of money left aside for making roads, the Parliamentary Secretary would inquire into them. I sent on this case also and got the ordinary acknowledgment. If it is a fact that they are paying 6/8 per annum for road-making it should not continue, or the roads should be made.
There are no tenants on this estate paying any money for a road.
I am certain that those people are paying 6/8 a year for a road that has never been made.