asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state if the Government have any information concerning the efforts of the Irish Soldiers and Sailors Land Trust to force their tenants to complete declarations for the purchase of their houses on the trust's terms or vacate them on a fixed date; and, if so, what arrangements are being made by Government intercession to protect the tenants or widows of former tenants, or children of deceased tenants from ejectment proceedings.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Soldiers and Sailors Land Trust Houses.
Mr. A. Byrne
I have no such information. The purchase scheme made by the trust in exercise of powers conferred on it by enabling legislation enacted in Britain last year is a voluntary scheme. It does not extend to the children of deceased tenants. In this connection I would refer the Deputy to the reply given by me to his question of 19th June last.
Mr. A. Byrne
Is the Minister aware that, since that reply was given on 19th June last, several decrees for possession have been given in the Irish courts? Will the Minister do something, or will he make a recommendation—I ask for nothing more than a recommendation—that if the houses are to be sold there ought to be agreement? The occupiers hold that the valuations which are being put on these houses are, in many cases, three and four times higher than the prices that should be expected for the houses.
No tenant in any of these houses is being ejected by the Irish courts. No tenant who is recognised as such by the agreement which was made by my predecessor with the British in 1951 is, or can be, ejected from his dwelling house.
Mr. A. Byrne
What I say is that when tenants die decrees are given against their children. There have been several such decrees in the Irish courts. Some of them have been granted an extension of a few weeks to enable them to find premises, but they find that there are no premises available. I am merely asking that the Irish Government should make a recommendation to the Irish Soldiers and Sailors Land Trust to meet the position of the tenants.
The trust have no power to do other than what the agreement entitles them to do.
Mr. A. Byrne
Goodwill is all I ask.