Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 26 Jul 1961

Vol. 191 No. 11

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sporting Rights on Holdings.

46.

asked the Minister for Lands the number of holdings the owners of which have the sporting rights vested in them, and the number (or nearest approximate number) of holdings in which the Land Commission have reserved the sporting rights to themselves.

Present ownership of shooting rights is not recorded statistically but the following particulars will give a picture of the general position.

Under Policy laid down in 1933, shooting rights have been reserved to the Land Commission only in respect of large compact areas of undivided mountain or bog.

Out of a total of 15½ million acres vested under all Land Acts, the total acreage of shooting rights let or for letting by the Land Commission amounts to approximately 692,000 acres or slightly over 4½ per cent. of the total.

Under Section 45 (2) of the Land Act, 1923, the shooting rights on some 100,000 holdings purchased under that Act have vested in the tenant-purchasers, subject to leases (if any) outstanding at the appointed days.

Under the Land Acts, 1903-1909, the shooting rights on 6,089 estates (i.e. two-thirds of the estates dealt with under those Acts) passed to the tenants. In sum, I believe it would be true to say that about 75 per cent. of all farmers own the sporting rights over their lands.

Under Section 34 of the Land Act, 1933, and Section 39 of the Land Act, 1936, any tenant-purchaser, who does not own the shooting rights on his land and is prepared to purchase such rights, may apply to the Land Commission to have the reserved shooting rights vested in them for resale to him, at a price to be agreed or fixed.

Does the Minister include fishing rights in the term "sporting rights"?

No. I was asked about sporting rights, not fishing rights. If the Deputy puts down a separate question I shall deal with it.

Barr
Roinn