asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he is aware that a number of men who have joined the Army for the duration of the emergency and who previously were plotholders under the Allotments Acts have been deprived of their holdings by reason of the fact that they have joined the Army, even though they are able to arrange for the care and work of the plot by other members of the family, and that considerable loss and hardship is occasioned to their families; and if he will take steps to secure that plotholders who have joined the Army will not be thus penalised.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Soldiers and the Allotments Acts.
I am not aware that any persons who were plotholders have been deprived of their plots by reason of the fact that they have joined the Army. If the Deputy sends me particulars of any such cases I will make inquiries.
It is a fact. Will the Minister say whether arrangements will be made that where men have joined the Army who held plots and who can get their families to carry them on, they will be allowed to retain these plots?
I will see what can be done. Under the Acquisition of Land (Allotments) (Amendment) Act, 1934, it is only unemployed persons who come within the terms of the Act. I am afraid that the interpretation which will be put on that is that persons in the Army will not be eligible. However, there should be some way of getting the matter dealt with.
Will the Minister admit that men who have joined the Army and who have had plots ought not to be deprived of them? If we could get that admission, I think there would be very little difficulty in settling the matter.
I would be inclined to go that far unless there is some unforeseen obstacle in the way.
Mr. A. Byrne
Is the Minister aware that such men have also been deprived of implements and free manures and seeds that used to be supplied to them; that some of them are halfway through the work on their plots; that they are now going to be deprived of advantages which the Government gave them by the passing of this Act; and will he see that the seeds, manures, and use of the implements are not withdrawn from them?
I am not aware of that. Of course it will be primarily for the local authorities to make those inquiries, but I will have the matter looked into.
Mr. A. Byrne
The local authority have been notified by some Government Department that the free seeds, manures, and implements can no longer be given to these men, and the local authority have had to notify the plotholders to that effect. I join with Deputy Mulcahy in asking the Minister to see that no injustice is done to them.
I have informed Deputy Mulcahy that I shall look into the matter. I am prepared to consider the matter sympathetically, but I am afraid that, as the law stands, there is the difficulty I referred to. If necessary, perhaps the law can be amended.
Will the Minister also inquire into the allegation that when a certain man joined the Army recently a blind pension of 6/- was withdrawn from his wife?
That is a separate question.