asked the Minister for Lands if he will indicate what factors influenced the Land Commission in their decision to grant an additional allotment of land on Monaghan's estate, Grange, Turloughmore, County Galway, to Mr. Patrick J. O'Brien, Grange, Turloughmore, in view of the fact that he had already been in possession of an economic holding given to him by his mother, Mrs. Margaret O'Brien, on a sub-division of her holding, which was duly sanctioned by the Land Commission.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Galway Allotment of Land.
The Land Commission as the competent authority allotted a parcel of land to Mr. Patrick J. O'Brien in the exercise of their discretionary powers, having regard to the relative merits of his case and the cases of other applicants for land on the estate. For obvious reasons the Land Commission are not required to explain their decisions.
This is the second week in succession that I have raised this matter. I have raised it this week in response to an invitation by the Minister, which is to be found in the Official Report, column 1113, where the Minister said:—
"I invite the Deputy to put down a separate question on this subject."
That was as a result of your ruling. I now find myself in the same position as Deputy Madden, that I have not got the information required. Would the Minister state what factors influenced the Land Commission to give additional land to Mr. Patrick J. O'Brien, who had got a holding from his mother which, under the Land Commission regulations, was supposed to be economic, while uneconomic tenants, married men with seven and eight in family, were not given a holding on the Monaghan estate, Grange, Turloughmore? Mr. O'Brien got 68 acres from his mother and he has now got 33 more and the Minister cannot say what influenced the Land Commission in this matter.
First, let me say he did not get 33 acres, but considerably less. He got an addition, all right. I invited the Deputy to put down a question but I did not expect this question from him—"if he will indicate what factors influenced the Land Commission". The Deputy was here for a considerable time during the discussion on the Land Bill and I am sure he is not unaware of the very strong part his own Party played in making sure that certain functions were given to the commissioners and the commissioners alone.
A few days after the Bill has gone through the Dáil, carrying that very fact with it, that the commissioners alone are the persons who must decide such questions, the Deputy asks this question.
Is this an attack on the commissioners by the Minister?
No. It is more an attack by the Deputy.
Why does not the Minister ask the commissioners to resign?
That will come in time.
I will leave that to the Deputy. As soon as the commissioners in my Department are guilty of misbehaviour, which I can state to the Dáil, I will take the necessary steps, but the Deputy can take any steps he likes in the meantime.
The whole implication of the Minister's reply is that they have behaved improperly.
In view of the fact that I have raised this matter two weeks in succession and have not got a satisfactory reply, I propose, with your permission, to raise it on the Adjournment to-night.
May I point out that I have absolutely no function in the matter that the Deputy is raising?
You have and your Parliamentary Secretary, Deputy Donnellan, has.
It is breaking your heart.
He has admitted it now.