asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state where and when, and how many acres of land were rehabilitated under the land project (1) at a cost of £70 per acre and (2) of a character which rendered it certain that within a few years it would be growing rushes again as stated by the Taoiseach in Dáil Éireann on 23rd July, 1953.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Land Rehabilitation Project.
Mr. Walsh
A complete return on the lines indicated by the Deputy could not be given without an elaborate survey, requiring an unwarrantable expenditure of staff time. A cursory examination of the mattershows, however, that there have been many cases throughout the country where the cost of reclamation, including intensive drainage and the provision of lime and phosphates, exceeded £70 an acre. Such cases have, in fact, occurred in Counties Cavan, Cork, Donegal, Limerick, Louth, Mayo, Monaghan, Roscommon, Sligo, Westmeath and Wexford.
The Taoiseach did not say there were any cases in which the land reclaimed was of a character that rendered it certain that, within a few years, it would be growing rushes again. It is not possible to say with certainty whether or not rushes will recur since this depends largely on the methods of husbandry subsequently employed by the farmer. There are, however, cases where the land drained is low-lying and not subsequently cultivated and where rushes will, to some extent, persist.
Does the Minister consider the statement made by the Taoiseach fairly accurately represents the character of the work being done by the officers of his Department under the land reclamation project?
Mr. Walsh
The last statement made by the Taoiseach, if my recollection is correct, was that there were cases where the cost of the reclamation of land exceeded £70 per acre.
Does the Minister consider that the statement made by the Taoiseach accurately or fairly represents the work done by the officers of his Department under the land reclamation project?
Mr. Walsh
I have stated that it would take an elaborate survey to find an answer for the Deputy's question.
You do not know.
Mr. Walsh
We do know. There are cases, and there have been cases, where the cost of this work has exceeded £70 per acre.
You did not answer the question. You have not got the spunk to defend your own officers.
Mr. Walsh
There were such cases during the Deputy's period in office.
You are kicked about like an old shoe. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Are we to take it that it is wrong to spend £70 or more per acre on the reclamation of land?
Mr. Walsh
I did not catch the Deputy's question.
Are we to take it from the Minister's statements and the Taoiseach's statements that it is wrong to spend £70 or more on reclaiming an acre of land?
Mr. Walsh
It is right to say that we give £35 per acre. That is a very substantial sum to be given to any farmer in this country for the reclamation of land.
As a direction to farmers throughout the country are we to take it that it is wrong to spend £70 between labour and materials on the reclamation of an acre of land?
Mr. Walsh
Of course, it is wrong for the Government to spend £70 on the reclamation of an acre of land for any farmer.
But on an acre of bog you are spending over £1,000 an acre.
Mr. Walsh
That is how the money was squandered by the Deputy.
You are kicked about like an old shoe.