asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware of the bitter feelings which exist in the Midlands at the action of the Land Commission in refusing land to suitable landless men and cottage holders and if, in order to remedy this injustice, it is his intention to introduce proposals for legislation to amend the Land Acts so as to provide that local applicants will get their just share of any estates which are acquired for division.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Applicants and Land Division.
Dissatisfaction, genuine and otherwise, is inevitable whenever an estate is allotted, for the simple reason that the number of applicants in every case exceeds by far the number of holdings that are available. That position is general throughout the country and is not confined to the Midlands.
Landless men and cottage holders are not debarred from receiving allotments. In fact, applications from such persons are always fully and carefully considered and if their applications prove unsuccessful it simply means that there is no land available after more deserving claims have been met.