asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware that acute congestion exists on the Ardilaun estate, Dringeen, Cong, County Mayo; that the lands are in rundale with from five to 20 divisions in each holding; that the holdings of three tenants who were migrated over 20 years ago are undivided and still held by the migrants, and if he will state what steps, if any, are being taken to provide economic compact holdings for the tenants in that townland.
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - Congestion in Cong, County Mayo.
With a view to the rearrangement of the rundale holdings on the Ardilaun estate in County Mayo, repeated efforts have been made, both by the former Congested Districts Board and later by the Land Commission, to induce suitable tenants on the estate to migrate in order to secure additional land for the enlargement of the remaining holdings, but these efforts have so far been unsuccessful owing to the unwillingness of the tenants to migrate.
The three tenants who were migrated some years ago do not now hold any part of their old holdings under grazing agreements. Provided that the tenants on the estate are willing to co-operate, the Land Commission will take steps for their relief as soon as practicable.
Is the Minister aware that five tenants in that townland have requested the Land Commission to migrate them within the last three months?
The matter is under consideration at the moment, but I am informed that the difficulty is that it is not possible to get a sufficient number of tenants to migrate.
I will give the Minister the names of five this afternoon.