asked the Minister for Lands if he will state for each of the past ten years the number of (a) farmers with valuation under £15, (b) cottiers, (c) agricultural labourers, and (d) others, who have been allotted land in Land Commission divisions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Allotment.
29.
The official statistics do not give the information in the precise form requested. But, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, a tabular analysis of allotments for the period in question is being circulated with the Official Report.
Following is the tabular analysis:
LAND ACTS, 1923-54.
CLASSIFICATION OF ALLOTMENTS
|
Year ended 31st March |
Displaced Employees |
Enlarge- ments for uneconomic holdings |
Exchanges and re- arrange- ments |
Trustee allotments (e.g. Sports- fields etc.) |
Landless Applicants e.g. cottiers etc. |
Turbary Plots |
Miscel- laneous allotments |
Total allotments |
|
Number of Allotments |
Number of Allotments |
Number of Allotments |
Number of Allotments |
Number of Allotments |
Number of Allotments |
Number of Allotments |
Number of Allotments |
|
|
1953 |
29 |
680 |
283 |
8 |
55 |
197 |
27 |
1,279 |
|
1954 |
26 |
840 |
447 |
11 |
86 |
227 |
20 |
1,657 |
|
1955 |
15 |
722 |
374 |
7 |
67 |
233 |
18 |
1,436 |
|
1956 |
10 |
755 |
488 |
9 |
66 |
39 |
29 |
1,396 |
|
1957 |
12 |
543 |
356 |
11 |
56 |
79 |
24 |
1,081 |
|
1958 |
18 |
815 |
326 |
5 |
61 |
43 |
40 |
1,308 |
|
1959 |
46 |
1,335 |
682 |
8 |
71 |
203 |
111 |
2,456 |
|
1960 |
27 |
934 |
613 |
7 |
75 |
164 |
57 |
1,877 |
|
1961 |
27 |
798 |
558 |
4 |
87 |
268 |
58 |
1,800 |
|
1962 |
16 |
830 |
465 |
11 |
88 |
211 |
48 |
1,669 |
30.
asked the Minister for Lands the qualifications laid down by his Department for (a) farmers with valuation under £15, (b) cottiers, and (c) agricultural labourers, which are necessary for them to be eligible for the allotment of land by the Land Commission.
The selection of allottees by the Land Commission is governed by Section 31, Land Act, 1923, which prescribes that the Land Commission, in deciding as to the suitability of applicants, shall be satisfied as to their competence to work land and their intention to do so and not to sell, let or assign it. The Section also sets out the various classes of allottees to whom advances for the purchase of parcels of land may be made. In the disposal of acquired lands, the following order of priority operates:— displaced employees, uneconomic holders, migrants, trustees for communal purposes, cottiers, other landless applicants. Put more precisely, the relief of congestion is the primary objective of Land Commission policy. For the economic and proper working of an enlargement, it is desirable that it should be within reasonable distance of the allottee's residence; such distance has been accepted as about one mile.
Where land is available after the reasonable requirements of those who are solely or mainly dependent on agriculture have been met, provision is made, as far as circumstances permit, for cottiers and landless applicants. The congestion problem at present is such, however, that the claims of those already on the land in an uneconomic way must take precedence over other aspiring groups of applicants for land which becomes available to the Land Commission for division.
Under current policy, holdings and enlargements are to be planned, in all areas, to provide family farms of 40 to 45 acres of good land or the equivalent in land of varied quality. All applicants with holdings below that level are eligible for consideration for enlargements. Where, however, the acreage available for distribution is insufficient to bring all the qualified and genuinely deserving smallholders, within the prescribed distance, up to the optimum level of 40 to 45 acres, then the land will be distributed in a fair and reasonable manner amongst as many of such qualified smallholders as is practicable.
In view of the fact that the first priority is given to the displaced employee, can the Minister explain how it is so few of them get land?
It all depends on the circumstances of each individual case. Naturally, an individual who came into the service of the previous landowner only within six or 12 months cannot expect to get a present of a holding worth nowadays between £7,000 or £8,000. The displaced employee who is to get land must have farming experience and must have considerable service as an employee of the previous owner. He must also be competent in the working of the land. In the case of the man with shorter service, the law provides that a cash payment or gratuity can be made.
Is the Minister aware that employees or ex-employees with very long service have, in fact, been offered sums between £100 and £200 as compensation? Is the Minister aware that that represents the cash price of approximately one acre of good land in the Midlands?
As I have said, each case hangs by its own tail. It depends on the employee. Some of them may be very old people. I do not know. At all events, the law was changed in this respect, with the assistance of the Deputy, in 1950.
Would the Minister not agree that the solution to the problem would be a new Land Act, which is long overdue?
The Deputy is aware that a new Land Act is being introduced.
Could the Minister indicate when it will appear before the Dáil ?
I have already indicated it is the intention to introduce it this session.