Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 14 Mar 1963

Vol. 200 No. 9

Committee on Finance - Vote 39—Lands.

I move:

That a supplementary sum not exceeding £33,500 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1963, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Offices of the Minister for Lands and of the Irish Land Commission.

The purpose of this Supplementary Estimate is to make available to the Land Commission in the current financial year an additional net sum of £33,500 for expenditure under three headings, viz. (a) purchase of interests for cash and payment of auctioneers' commission (b) essential improvements works arising from land settlement operations and (c) preservation and improvement of game resources. I shall outline to the House the reasons necessitating the extra expenditure under each of the subheads concerned.

Under subhead G in this year's Vote for Lands, a total of £145,000 was provided for two distinct items: (i) £140,000 under Subhead G.1 to meet the cost of lands purchased for cash in the open market or by private treaty under Section 27, Land Act, 1950, and (ii) £5,000 under Subhead G.2 in respect of compensation, also payable in cash, on the resumption of tenancy interests on estates of the former Congested Districts Board.

As Deputies know, activities under Section 27 of the Land Act, 1950, are confined to lands required for the creation of holdings for migrants or to facilitate rearrangement of intermixed holdings. It will be recalled that the sum of £140,000 made available for this purpose in the Main Estimate this year constituted a record provision, in line with the continued expansion in the volume of funds provided for cash purchases in recent years. Properties suitable for the purposes of Section 27 come on the market continually and it is most desirable that the Land Commission should have sufficient funds to enable them to negotiate for purchase of such lands within the limited time normally available. Up to a recent date, expenditure on cash purchases in the current financial year amounted to £125,875, while further amounts aggregating £35,845 were committed for expenditure. To finance completed purchases falling due for payment in the remainder of the year and to ensure that properties for which purchase negotiations are in train can be brought to the possession stage by March 31st next, an additional sum of £35,000 will be necessary, thus bringing the total provision for the current year in respect of purchases under Section 27 to £175,000, that is almost as much money as spent in the entire first ten years of the operation of this form of transaction.

For the purchase, through resumption, of tenancy interests in holdings required for division on the small outstanding residue of estates of the late Congested Districts Board, £5,000 was provided under Subhead G.2 of the main Estimate. While this amount, which has remained at the same level for some years, would be quite sufficient to finance the limited number of cases normally arising under this heading, the position this year is that the Land Commission have succeeded in purchasing two exceptionally large holdings in County Galway at an aggregate cost of some £25,000. As the original amount voted is required to meet the land intake from smaller properties on CDB estates, an additional sum of £25,000 is now necessary under Subhead G.2. I may say, however, that the unexpected intake of the two extensive holdings referred to, aggregating about 680 acres, was very welcome indeed and will make a significant contribution towards the pool of land available for relief of congestion.

So far I have explained £60,000 of the part of the gross Supplementary Estimate applicable to Subhead G. The residual £1,000 now sought under this subhead is partly in the nature of a new item, viz., payment of auctioneers' commission in certain land purchase transactions. Deputies will already be aware that the Land Commission pay auctioneers' fees in appropriate cash purchase transactions under Section 27 of the Land Act, 1950. I have long felt that an extension of this principle to certain properties purchased on a voluntary basis for land bonds, would serve as a decided incentive to inducing auctioneers to bring to the notice of the Land Commission lands on their books which would be suitable for the purposes of the Land Acts. Moreover, by securing the increased goodwill of the auctioneering profession, it would, I feel, result in an acceleration of the land acquisition programme by speeding up purchase negotiations, thereby permitting a valuable saving in time and public funds.

Incidentally, not long ago a complaint was voiced in this House that lands entrusted to auctioneers for disposal were not being brought to the notice of the Land Commission because the auctioneers could not expect to receive their fees with the Land Commission as purchaser. Deputies may recall my announcement some time ago to the effect that the Minister for Finance had agreed in principle to my proposals for payment of auctioneers' commission in these bonds cases. Provision has been made accordingly in this Supplementary Estimate — the amount required to meet payments in the remaining weeks of this financial year being estimated at £1,000.

I turn now to Subhead I which carries the general description of improvement of estates. Improvement works, which are an inseparable feature of land settlement, include the erection of dwelling-houses and out-offices; the provision of access roads, fencing and drainage; repair and maintenance of embankments, and so on.

The total amount provided under Subhead I in the main Estimate was £690,000. An additional £35,000 is now required under the Subhead due to a number of factors. This year, heavy and unforeseen expenditure was necessary on the repair of embankments damaged by severe storms. In addition, an improvement in design of Land Commission dwelling-houses has resulted in increased costs while an increase in workmen's wages, effective from 1st April last, had also to be met.

At the end of February, expenditure under Subhead I amounted to £650,000, leaving a balance of only £40,000 available for expenditure in March. It will be appreciated, however, that the final month of the financial year sees the annual climax of the land settlement programme. Land allotment, which has been gathering momentum in the preceding months, reaches peak level at this time, and side by side with this activity the drive to complete essential improvement works on these lands in time for spring farming operations must be intensified to the utmost. To ensure that there will be no falling off in the level of improvement works arising from the current year's land division and rearrangement programme, an additional sum of £35,000 is necessary.

The final item in the Supplementary Estimate concerns Subhead L, under which grants for preservation and improvement of game resources, are provided. Perhaps I should remind the House that these grants are confined to efficient local organisations which are representative of all appropriate interests and that they are made, from the funds available, to assist schemes which hold out promise of worthwhile practical results. In the main, the schemes embrace proposals for destruction of predators on game birds—apart from the fox menace— and for the breeding and laying down of game to augment wild stocks.

A sum of £10,000 was provided in the main Estimate this year. The first charge on this sum, however, consisted of grants totalling some £2,170 carried over from last year leaving a balance of £7,830. Despite the difficulties which confronted Game Councils as a result of the prolonged and abnormally severe winter, the level of their activities has been greater than anticipated. Indeed, not only has the remaining £7,830 under Subhead I been fully committed but it is expected that an additional sum of £3,000 will be necessary to meet grants to Game Councils falling due for payment within the current financial year. I should like here to pay tribute to the work of these bodies and to say how gratified I am that the financial assistance provided through my Department is contributing to the success of their activities.

The gross total of the Supplementary Estimate, as outlined, thus amounts to £99,000. However, an increase of £26,500 is expected in the appropriations-in-aid of the Lands Vote this year while it is anticipated that savings amounting to £39,000 will be feasible under other subheads, that is, a total of £65,500. The actual net amount which the House is now asked to provide, therefore, is £33,500.

In presenting this Supplementary Estimate, I have confined my remarks to the subheads directly affected. If Deputies require any further information regarding them, I shall be pleased to furnish it. I have purposely refrained from commenting on policy matters generally which can be more appropriately dealt with on the main Estimate or in connection with the forthcoming Land Bill which, as already intimated, I hope to introduce in this session.

The relatively small amount now sought will be utilised, in the main, to enable the work of land settlement for the current year to be completed. I know that Deputies, and especially those who represent rural constituencies, will be fully aware of the importance of this work. I recommend the Supplementary Estimate to the House with confidence.

The Parliamentary Secretary's statement to the effect that during the next session, or at the end of the present session, the House will be given an opportunity of discussing the Land Bill is welcome. On that Bill, we can deal very fully with all aspects of Land Commission policy. Therefore, we have no objection to this Supplementary Estimate.

I should like to take this opportunity to direct the attention of the Parliamentary Secretary as a matter of special urgency to statements that have recently appeared in the public Press to the effect that there was growing concern and anxiety in the country in regard to the purchase of land by aliens, and particularly by Germans. Some time ago we on this side of the House appealed to the Minister to direct the attention of the Land Commission to the importance of purchasing land which, to our knowledge, and to the knowledge of the general public, is being purchased by aliens. I should like to hear from the Parliamentary Secretary whether in fact there has been any check-up in the Land Commission since the main Estimate was presented to the House, and whether there is any basis for the growing concern in the country in regard to the purchase of land by Germans.

I want to place on record that we on this side of the House strenuously and strongly object to the land being purchased by Germans, or by any aliens, because we have a large number of small and uneconomic holders in the country. In addition, we have had the experience of farmers' sons having to emigrate and seek their livelihood beyond the Irish sea. No responsible Irish Government should stand idly by and see the best agricultural land, land that should be in the possession of our small farmers/em/

I do not see how this relevantly arises.

I am directing the attention of the Parliamentary Secretary to the urgency and importance of equipping the Land Commission to purchase these lands so as to prevent them falling into the hands of aliens.

The Deputy will appreciate——

That it would be a matter for the main Estimate.

And that the debate is confined to the reason for giving this money.

I expect the Parliamentary Secretary will avail of this opportunity to ease our minds in relation to the activities of the Land Commission. I trust he will see fit to make some references to the matter of the prompt acquisition of land in view of its urgency. He referred in the course of his speech to the payment of auctioneers' fees. This is something which should have been provided many years ago and I am glad we have at last reached the stage where the Land Commission, because they will be able to pay these fees, can look for the full co-operation of auctioneers throughout the country. That co-operation is vitally necessary because auctioneers have an intimate knowledge of when and where lands become available on the public market.

I do not act here as spokesman for the auctioneers but I know they are deeply grateful for this departure by the Minister for Lands. I can assure him that he can look for a marked improvement in co-operation between the auctioneers and the Land Commission in the future. I know that the auctioneers have on their books a considerable amount of estates in all areas which, if purchased by the Land Commission, would contribute in no small way towards solving congestion in many parts of rural Ireland. The auctioneers, as a body, are patriotic men and they will be only too glad to assist in this work of national importance.

Reference was made to the availability of grants in connection with the preservation of our game stocks. The regional game councils do very valuable work but much of it is hampered by lack of finance. The national importance of their work is recognised generally and I do not think the Minister should be slow in encouraging them. The Department of Lands should also concern itself more closely with the maintenance and improvement of our game farms. These farms do marvellous work in providing stocks for the future but they need financial assistance. Their work is mainly concerned with the provision of consignments of eggs and birds throughout the country, including the Six Counties from which they get unlimited requests for supplies, but they cannot be expected to do their work properly and get the best results without financial assistance from the Exchequer. Most of their equipment, particularly the installation of modern heating apparatus which has to be imported, is expensive, and I would ask the Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary to do everything possible to help them by way of financial support.

A sum of £17,000 has been provided towards building work and improvements and that amount appears to me, in present circumstances, to be very small. I take it that is additional to what was already provided.

Yes. The total was £600,000.

I am glad the Commission have decided to improve the architectural structure of their houses because the old Land Commission house was considered generally to be rather drab. Now this move for more attractive design will be very welcome. I do not know whether Deputies or even the Parliamentary Secretary himself have seen the new houses but some of them I have seen in the Shannon Valley are really first class. I would say, from my experience of building that the houses built by the Land Commission in Castletown, Laois, are the best type of house being built in Ireland to-day. I give the Land Commission full credit for that. I am glad to see that they have departed from the drabness of the old type of Land Commission house.

The new up-to-date design of the Land Commission houses is something to be welcomed and encouraged and no matter what money would be provided from this Estimate for that type of house it would be generally welcomed. I am glad to be able to pay tribute to whoever is responsible for the design of those houses which people travelling from the south to Dublin frequently stop to admire. Deputies who pass down through that part of the country would be well advised to have a look at them. The tenants are friendly and generous people and they would give permission to view the insides.

I have no objection to this Supplementary Estimate beyond one comment. We can see here the impact of Government policy with regard to the increase in the contributions for social welfare. That impact is now making itself felt in various State Departments. The Government seems to be determined to keep piling on taxation and expenditure in every possible way. We on this side of the House have already criticised the unnecessary increases in social welfare contributions and we are now being called on to provide more of the taxpayers' money for funds in relation to this matter.

I presume the Minister will introduce the new Land Bill before the next Estimate but I hope there will be a general stocktaking of all the activities of the Land Commission on that occasion. The Department is a very important one and the resettlement of our people in homes on the land and the provision of additional holdings and the rearrangement of existing ones is of great importance to the country.

I welcome Deputy Flanagan's constructive contribution to the debate and I can assure him that the new Land Bill will be a progressive measure designed to meet some of the constructive criticisms addressed by many people over the years to the matter of land settlement. It will also incorporate many of the points raised in the Small Farms Report which was generally welcomed.

Deputy Flanagan raised the question of acquisition of land by foreigners. This is a matter which I feel is grossly exaggerated. We keep a very close eye on that situation and the Land Commission have interested themselves very positively in such estates which come on the market. Since 1st August, 1961, when we introduced a 25 per cent stamp duty on lands purchased by aliens, we have been able to keep a particularly close eye on the matter. The total amount of land acquired by aliens in the 18 months since we imposed that stamp duty is 9,000 acres or 6,000 acres a year.

That is a lot of land.

It is not a lot of land having regard to the tremendous interest shown in land in this country by foreigners. That is a very small figure when taken in relation to the amount of interest which has been shown. The public may be getting the impression, on account of the interest shown, that all that land is going to foreigners. That is not the case. Each application by an alien to purchase land must go through channels and we can keep an eye on it. A large proportion of that 6,000 acres is land which would not be suitable for Land Commission purposes. It is not arable land suitable for division and is largely land bought for its amenities or for its tourist or other value. We are satisfied that this matter has been exaggerated to a considerable extent and we feel that we can control it all right.

Deputy Flanagan also made a point in regard to game development and I agree with him on the important work at present being engaged in by these game councils. The whole development of game in the future can go ahead on the basis of fruitful co-operation between the game councils on the local level and the Department itself at national level. We feel that any moves in the future towards regional game councils and national game councils must come from the game councils at local level.

A substantial amount of the money being spent on game development comes from the State. We contribute 60 per cent of the cost of these schemes and the local councils bear the remaining 40 per cent. The amount spent so far this year on game development is £7,450 and there is an additional £3,000 to that in the present year so that an addition of almost 50 per cent of the amount originally voted is being added to ensure that game development will go ahead. We hope the same will happen in the coming year.

Game farms are included in the overall game development schemes and they also get assistance in conjunction with the game councils. The suggestion made by Deputy Flanagan in that respect will be borne in mind. The whole development of game councils in the past few years has been very helpful.

There is very little else to be said on this matter except on one point, that is, the increased expenditure which we see in these Supplementary Estimates. We can defend this increased expenditure up to the hilt as being necessary for essential works. Even though we may be criticised for the increased expenditure, this sort of expenditure, in the detail set out, can be defended on every ground that is necessary—neccessary improvement work, improved design of Land Commission houses, necessary improvement grants for development schemes and so on. Deputies may be assured that the increased expenditure is necessary for the maintenance and improvement of the very valuable work being done by that Department.

Vote put and agreed to.
Barr
Roinn