asked the Minister for Lands and Fisheries if he is aware that there is local dissatisfaction about the division of the lands on the Captain Dillon estate, Tullyvarron, County Roscommon, and if in view of the fact the smallest and most uneconomic holders got the worst portions of the land, he will order an investigation to be held into the division of this farm.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Division of Roscommon Lands.
The scheme for the division of the lands referred to received the most careful consideration of the Land Commission, and it is not proposed to vary it.
If I undertake to supply the Parliamentary Secretary with a vouched list of grievances, will he have the matter looked into?
I think the Deputy will find that the allottees have now no grievances in regard to the distribution of the estate. Some of the men did object to the original proposal for the distribution of the land, but I think since then the complaints have been met.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that one of the men who received 16 acres from the Land Commission had already received seven, and before he received seven a few years ago his valuation was £15?
No.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary further aware that some people whose valuations range from £3 to £7 were sent right to the top of the mountain to get divisions of the land and got no notice of the division of the land?
The valuation of all the allottees is under the economic standard. These lands were allotted to ten persons. Seven have already signed the necessary agreement. The valuation of all the tenants is under the economic standard.
I am well aware of the people who got the lands, as I have a full list before me. Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that Bridget Cronin, with a valuation of only £2 10s., Bernard Mullvaly, with a valuation of only £6, and John Malley, with a valuation of only £7, were unfairly dealt with in the division of the estate, while people whose valuation was over £15 got the best of the land?
Naturally the inspector had to use his discretion as to the allottees to whom the land should be given.
Does the inspector dispute the fact that the people who were most uneconomic were people who had the lowest valuations and the worst patches of land?
These were the people who got the land.
They got the very worst part.
Unfortunately, it is all bad land.
These people got no notices that the land was to be divided, whereas the other parties did.