asked the Minister for Agriculture whether he is prepared, if necessary, by the introduction of proposals for legislation, to take steps to have amended the regulations governing rural allotment schemes so as to enable cottiers and landless men resident at Valentia Island and Portmagee to avail of these schemes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Allotments for Valentia Cottiers.
The primary object of the Acquisition of Land (Allotments) Acts, 1926 and 1934, was to provide facilities for unemployed persons in urban areas to cultivate vegetables for themselves and their families. In other areas, such as those mentioned by the Deputy, associations may be approved for the purpose of procuring land and cultivating allotments, and, as I have already intimated to the Deputy, I am prepared to approve of any reasonable proposals which may be submitted by allotment associations in the areas mentioned. Free manures, seeds and implements are available for unemployed allotment holders, but I could not justify the provision of these facilities for persons other than the unemployed. Cottiers who have land already may obtain credit for the purchase of seeds and manures under the Seeds and Fertilisers Supply Acts, provided the county council adopt a scheme for the making available of such credit to them.
Is the Minister aware that last year when an inspector of his Department went down there, he was very reluctant to sanction any scheme? His objection was that we put up a series of schemes but in actual fact we grouped Portmagee and Valentia as one scheme. In view of the extenuating circumstances and because of the position of the islanders, we asked that the usual regulations governing these schemes would be amended. I appeal to the Minister to review the position with a view to instructing his local inspector, who is conversant with the position there, to co-operate with the committee and the others concerned.
That is a very long supplementary question.
Is the Deputy not aware that in Valentia the number of eligible applicants was only seven? That did not seem to justify pressing on the county committee the implementation of the scheme in their regard. In Portmagee a scheme was approved, but the local authority, despite their best endeavour, were unable to get land in the vicinity on which to operate the scheme. So far as I know, these are the only obstacles which have militated against the purpose the Deputy has in mind. The resolution of either will result in the achievement of his purpose.