asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the progress made by the Land Commission towards the rearrangement and final settlement of (1) the Peyton estate, Mountdaisy, and (2) the townlands of Tawnylaheen, Tallagher, Shranaher, Conloon, Tawnyshane; and if these areas will be settled before next spring.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mayo Land Questions.
It is expected that at least some of the holdings in the townlands in question will be rearranged next spring. Any cases then outstanding will be rearranged as soon as sufficient land has been made available to permit of satisfactory schemes being prepared.
Can the Minister give us any definite information with regard to (1)?
It is expected that a certain number of holdings will be rearranged this year.
On the Peyton estate?
Yes, and it may be possible to rearrange portion of the balance next spring.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the number of standard holdings which the Land Commission hope to have available for migrants for occupation in the spring of 1953.
It is expected that 140 standard holdings will be available for allotment to migrants next spring.
That is, holdings on which the Land Commission have built houses?
I assume so.
Very good.
asked the Minister for Lands if the Land Commission hope to be in a position to allot the Nally estate, Roundfort, County Mayo, during the coming spring.
It is proposed to allot these lands in conjunction with other lands in the area for which the Land Commission are negotiating. It is unlikely that the negotiations will be completed in time to permit of the lands being allotted next spring.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the total acreage acquired and resumed in the years 1949-50, 1950-51 and 1951-52 by the Land Commission in (a) County Mayo, and (b) the rest of the country.
The particulars are:—
|
(a) |
1949/50 |
2,343acres |
|
1950/51 |
2,141,, |
|
|
1951/52 |
2,306,, |
|
|
(b) |
1949/50 |
29,622,, |
|
1950/51 |
14,494,, |
|
|
1951/52 |
12,650,, |
Will the Minister say if the latter figures are exclusive of Mayo?
They are exclusive of Mayo.
asked the Minister for Lands if he can now give an approximate date when the land offered to the Forestry Division by tenants in Lappaleigh, Glenisland, will come into his Department's possession.
I am not yet in a position to say when this area will be acquired, as the proving of title is still giving difficulty.
Out of 17 combined offers made in this particular lot to the Forestry Department there was only one outstanding case some time ago. Does the Minister tell me now that that particular case is not cleared up yet?
My information is that there are a number of cases and that we have not been able to get clearance from the legal representative of the tenant, although we have reminded him.
Would the Minister take a little stronger action in this case than reminding?
What action would the Deputy suggest?
The kind of action he previously took.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the estimated acreage which will be planted during the coming season by the Forestry Division.
It is estimated that the acreage planted by the Forestry Division during the coming season will be approximately 12,500 acres as envisaged in my statement of the 1st July last when introducing the Forestry Estimate for the current year.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will circulate to members of the Oireachtas a quarterly statement giving particulars of areas (1) offered to the Land Commission, (2) inspected, (3) approved, (4) in respect of which a price has been offered, (5) in respect of which agreement on price has been reached, (6) of which possession has been taken, and (7) offered by the Land Commission to the Forestry Division.
Statutory regulations provide that in the compulsory acquisition of land, notices must be published in Iris Oifigiúil of (1) the initiation of proceedings; (2) the fixing of price subject to appeal and (3) the vesting of the lands in the Land Commission. Irish Oifigiúil is available to all Deputies.
It would be unwise and unfair to landowners to circulate, as suggested, the additional information referred to in the question, even though it is the practice to disclose (somewhat reluctantly I may add) information of this nature in reply to parliamentary questions about particular estates. I personally doubt, as did my immediate predecessor, the wisdom of having estates or lands named in such questions and I certainly do not propose to take any steps which would disclose further details of Land Commission negotiations. Owners of land are entitled to have their dealings with the Land Commission treated with a reasonable degree of privacy.
I see no point in circulating the information mentioned in part 7 of the question.
No. 7? I do not want to blame any particular official either in the House or in the Land Commission, but I should like to say that I did not ask that question. My question related only to land which was coming into the Forestry Division. What I wanted was a tabular statement giving Deputies an idea of the progress the Forestry Division is making each quarter. I did not ask the question to which the Minister has replied.
That is the question which is on the Order Paper.
I know, but when my original question is looked up it will be found that that is not there.
Question No. 46.
By the way, it must be clear from the latter part of the question that the question does relate to the Forestry Division. Can the Minister tell us whether he can make available a quarterly statement on the activities of the Forestry Division?
That is a separate question.
Put it down again.
For to-morrow.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the total wages, exclusive of foresters' remuneration, paid in (1) Lough Carra forest; (2) Duggan Hill forest; (3) Glenamura forest, and (4) Nephin Beg forest, County Mayo, since the establishment of each forest respectively.
The amounts paid in wages in Lough Carra, Doolough and Nephin Beg forests from dates of establishment up to 30th September, 1952, are as follows:—
|
£ |
s. |
d. |
|
|
Lough Carra Forest |
9,843 |
7 |
10 |
|
Doolough,, |
5,728 |
18 |
4 |
|
Nephin Beg,, |
3,926 |
19 |
6 |
The Duggan Hill and Glenamura areas form part of Doolough forest.
asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the number of workers whose employment was terminated recently in Lough Carra forest, County Mayo, and the reason for the disemployment.
The number of labourers at Lough Carra forest was recently reduced from about 30 to 26. The retention of a staff of 30 for a further period would involve more drastic reductions in staff at a later date.
Surely there was not sufficient justification for laying-off four men recently in this particular forest? The Forestry Division have just got into their hands a pretty large acreage there which some of the men were engaged in clearing. In view of the hardship occasioned to the families of the four men concerned by reason of their disemployment and of the fact that there is plenty of work for them to do, will the Minister have the matter investigated in order to see if the Department can reinstate them?
I will look into the matter.