asked the Minister for Lands if the Irish Land Commission agreed with Messrs. Thomas Lavan, Coolaghbaun and Thomas Higgins of Derrowel to give to them new holdings on the McEllin farm situate at Brize, Claremorris, recently acquired by the Land Commission in exchange for their existing holdings which would then be available for division amongst their neighbours; whether agreements to this effect were signed by these men, and, if so, why these agreements were cancelled, and further to ask the Minister if five new holdings on this farm at Brize have been allotted to unmarried and landless men and, if so, whether considering the need of the persons living on small farms in that vicinity for more land and the congestion existing in South Mayo generally he will state why this course was adopted.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Division of Mayo Lands.
The proposals for the migration of James and Kathleen Lavan and Thomas Higgins to lands on the McEllin estate were in the nature of preliminary and provisional arrangements and were not sustained by the Land Commission on final consideration of the resale scheme for the McEllin estate, having regard to the prior claims of employees discharged in consequence of the division of the lands and of uneconomic landholders and landless men in the immediate vicinity of the estate. The allotment of the lands as approved and effected comprises 12 parcels, of which two were assigned to discharged employees on the estate (one unmarried), three to local landless men (all unmarried) and seven to local congests (two unmarried) by way of addition to their existing holdings.
Arising out of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, I should like to know if these two men actually signed purchase agreements?
No.
I should like to know why these men were not taken out of this holding so as to enable their holding to be divided amongst the others in the townland?
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the migration of Lavan and Higgins would relieve seven or eight tenants in the townlands of Coolaghbaun and Derrowel, where acute congestion exists, and is he aware that petitions were forwarded to the Land Commission by the tenants in the townland of Knocknakill which adjoins Mr. McEllin's farm, requesting additions to their holdings as their holdings are useless for tillage owing to their rocky nature; and will the Parliamentary Secretary say if it is the policy of the Land Commission to give holdings to landless men who have no land to surrender in preference to married men who have holdings which could be used to relieve congestion?
All I can say is that all these matters were considered by the commissioners before making their decision.
I propose to raise this matter on the Adjournment.