asked the Minister for Lands whether the Land Commission will give preference in their shooting lettings from time to time to recognised organisations set up for the purpose of game preservation and vermin destruction.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Commission Shooting Lettings.
42.
It has been the practice of the Land Commission to consider applications for letting of sporting rights on a competitive basis. Pending ultimate settlement of Government policy in relation to game promotion on a national scale, I am unable to say what changes, if any, may be made in current practice.
Is the Minister aware that at present it is the practice for syndicates to step in and take over a large slice of the country without making any effort to preserve the game or destroy the vermin therein? If we are to encourage new organisations springing up at the moment to extend their activities throughout the country, to preserve the game and bring it in line with fisheries——
The Deputy is making something very like a speech.
It is a very important question. I am anxious to know is the Minister prepared to help those people and to eliminate the other fellows who do no useful work for the country.
As I said, the practice has been to make leases of sporting rights on a competitive basis. When the new organisations the Deputy referred to are nationally organised it may be possible to make different arrangements about the leasing of sporting rights in the possession of the Land Commission.