asked the Minister for Lands if he will state if there has been any recent progress by the Land Commission towards the division of the lands of M. Moore, Lumville, Edenderry, Offaly; if these lands have been inspected recently; and if he will now state when it is proposed to divide them among the deserving applicants in the area.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers - Leix and Offaly Lands.
No proceedings for the resumption of this holding have been instituted nor has the holding been recently inspected for that purpose. It is not practicable at present to take any action in this case.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state what action the Land Commission propose to take in regard to the lands of the late David Frame, Brockley Park, Stradbally, Leix, and Lamberton Park, Timahoe, Leix; if they have made inquiries as to whether the present owners are willing to dispose of these lands, for division among local deserving applicants; and if he will direct that the lands be inspected and arrangements made for acquisition and division as soon as possible.
No proceedings for acquisition of Brockley Park or Lamberton Park are contemplated by the Land Commission at present.
Can the Minister say when proceedings will be instituted for the acquisition of the lands, the property of the late David Frame?
Is it a fact that the Brockley Park Estate has been inspected on several occasions? Has any consideration been given by the Land Commission to the application of the local people to have them divided? It has been going on for 15 years.
Of course it has. We have heard of it several times in questions and in debates on the Adjournment. I think the Deputies have full information in regard to it.
Davy Frame has died since.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state if the Land Commission now find it possible to arrange for the division of the estates of Arthur Webb (Record Number U. 4095), and Richard and Marion Wallace (Record Numbers U.4091, U.4092 and U.4094), among the deserving and needy applicants in the area of Shinrone, Offaly; and if he will state cause of delay in proceeding with division of these estates, in view of general demand for land in the area.
These two cases have been noted for further inquiry when circumstances permit.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will request the Land Commission to take steps to divide the balance of the Robinson Estate, Kilnacash, Mountmellick, Leix, among the local deserving applicants, as the lands have been set on the 11 months' system until the Land Commission acquire them; and if he will state when the lands will be inspected and acquired for division.
I would refer the Deputy to the replies given to his previous questions about this estate. The position is unchanged.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will now indicate what further action is proposed to expedite the division of lands on the Weldon Estate, Kilmaroney, Athy, in Counties Leix and Kildare; and if he will direct the Land Commission to give special attention to the general demands from this area for the urgent division of this holding.
It is not practicable at present for the Land Commission to take any action in this case.
asked the Minister for Lands if there are any fresh developments in the Land Commission negotiations for acquisition of the Trench Estate, Glenmalyne, Ballybrittas, Leix, for division among the local deserving applicants.
The answer is in the negative.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state what steps the Land Commission are taking to divide the lands of R. Langford, Ballymacrossan and Roskeen, Geashill, Offaly, among the local deserving applicants; and when the Land Commission hope to be in a position to deal with this estate.
There is no change in the position of this case since my reply to the Deputy's previous question last July.
There will never be a change.
As all the answers are the same, why bother reading them out?
asked the Minister for Lands if he has received representations over the past 15 years, requesting the Land Commission to divide, among deserving applicants, the lands on the Ross Estate, Derrinsalla, near Birr, in Counties Tipperary and Offaly; and if he will state what steps the Land Commission propose to take in this case, in view of the general demand for land in the area.
The Land Commission do not appear to have received any representations in regard to the acquisition of the lands of Derrinsallow on the Rosse Estate and in the present circumstances, it is not practicable to take any action in the matter.
The Minister states that the Land Commission has received no representations. May I inform the Minister that I received letters from the Minister's office in regard to these lands and that the Minister received representations from me as far back as 1942?
asked the Minister for Lands if he will again direct the Land Commission to expedite the division of the lands on the Fossett Estate, Pillsworth, Rosenallis, Laoighis, among the deserving applicants in the area.
Presumably the Deputy is referring to the holding on the Pilsworth Estate (Record No. S. 3779), formerly tenanted by Messrs. George Fawcett and Thomas Black. This holding has been vested in the tenants pursuant to the Land Acts, 1923 to 1939, and the Land Commission have no proceedings in hand for its acquisition for purposes of division.
asked the Minister for Lands if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are large numbers of farmers' sons, smallholders, and deserving landless men in the area of Daingean, Offaly, who are anxious to secure land from the Land Commission; if he is aware that the lands of the late Alexander Hannigan, comprising over 280 acres, are available for sale; if the Land Commission will acquire and divide this land, in the townlands of Drumcaw and Mount Lucas, on the Ball and Lucas Estate, among such applicants; and if he will direct an immediate inspection of the lands in question and request the Land Commission to take all necessary action.
The Land Commission have no proceedings pending for the acquisition of the lands of Mr. Alexander Hannigan, in the townland of Drumcaw or Mount Lucas, County Offaly, and they do not propose to take any action in the matter at present.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will now direct the Land Commission to take steps with a view to the division of the lands of Miss Thompson at Irey and Knocknakeam, Coote Estate (Record Number S. 5334), Ballyfin, Mountrath, Laoighis, as this farm is in the hands of the Land Commission for many years past.
The Land Commission are not in possession of this farm and proceedings for its resumption are not contemplated.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state when it is proposed to divide, among the local smallholders and deserving applicants, the lands of J. Alley, Knockaroo, Borris-in-Ossory, Laoighis; and what progress has been made in this connection by the Land Commission.
There have been no developments in this case since the Deputy's question in April, 1946, and it is not practicable for the Land Commission to proceed at present with the acquisition of these lands.
Is it not a fact that the Minister's predecessor, Deputy Aiken, when he was in charge of the Department, introduced a special section into a Land Act for the purpose of having these lands acquired? Is it not a fact that it was decided by the commissioners to acquire the lands? Will the Minister tell the people concerned what is the cause of the delay or if there is any work being done in the Land Commission at all? This has been going on for over 20 years.
I do not think the Land Commission exists at all.
Can the Minister say what is the cause of the delay? The people concerned are entitled to some consideration.
The Deputy can put down a question.
I put down several but you are dodging the answer.
asked the Minister for Lands if he is now in a position to state what it is proposed to do with lands of William Southern, Coolowley, Grogan, Ballybrophy, Laoighis, Hummersley Estate (Record Number S.4520); if these lands have been inspected, with a view to division among local suitable applicants; and if not, if he will arrange for an early inspection, in view of the congestion existing in this area.
These lands have not been inspected by the Land Commission, nor is it practicable at present to take any action in the matter.