asked the Minister for Lands whether he is aware that a report, which meets with strong objections from the clergy and general public, is in circulation in the parish of Edenderry, County Offaly, to the effect that the Land Commission propose to bring migrants to holdings in the parish, and if he will say whether this report has any foundation as far as his Department is concerned.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Edenderry Migrants.
The Land Commission policy of relieving congestion involves migration of tenants from congested area to suitable lands in non-congested districts. Whenever suitable land becomes available, it will be used as far as possible for that purpose after local needs have been met.
Would the Minister remind the commissioners—or some of them—that previous experiments of bringing migrants into this area ended in failure, while the local smallholders were left out in the cold?
That is the truth.
I cannot answer for what took place before I took office as Minister for Lands. I would, however, point out to the Deputy that the present policy is that all deserving uneconomic holders will be facilitated out of lands in hands before migrants are considered. Only the residue will be used for migrants. I may take advantage of this opportunity to say that the allocation of land left over for migrants must be left to the entire discretion of the commissioners.
I have a say in that. They will not. Not one will let a plough through.
We will be as hard as steel on that question. After local needs have been fully met, the use to which the remaining land will be put must be left to the commissioners.
If outsiders come there, I will see they are boycotted.
I would advise the Deputy not to do so.