asked the Minister for Lands the number of estates acquired by his Department for which payment is still awaited; and the average time that elapses between acquisition and payment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Payment for Acquired Estates.
80.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to similar questions put down by him on 7th July, 1965, in which I supplied the available relevant particulars for the five year period ended 30th June, 1965. From that date to 31st March, 1967, a total of 460 properties purchased for land bonds amounting in nominal value to some £2.08 million vested in the Land Commission while, in the same period, purchase moneys aggregating about £2.3 million in respect of 533 properties were allocated.
An investigation just made in the case of lands purchased or acquired for land bonds shows that in recent times the average time-leg between the date of vesting of a property in the Land Commission and the date of allocation of the purchase money is 9½ months approximately. This contrasts sharply with the period of 27 months to which I referred in my reply to the Deputy's previous questions of 7th July, 1965 and constitutes ample evidence that the various measures taken in recent times to streamline the procedures for examination of title and allocation of purchase moneys have led to a marked improvement in this sector.
I might add that the number of titles at present pending for investigation by Examiners is only 8 and the documents relating to all these have been lodged within the past month.
Would the Minister not agree that one possibility is that the delay might be due to the fact that there is inadequate legal staff and would he care to look at the matter from that angle and see if the period could be shortened? Personally, I feel that 9½ months is rather a long time to wait to be paid when you have sold something to the State.
There was the factor, amongst other factors, of insufficiency of staff at one period when the Deputy previously questioned me on this matter. The Deputy will appreciate that the period is now down to 9½ months. I am not personally satisfied with 9½ months but there are some factors, as the Deputy will appreciate, that are not attributable to delay on the Land Commission side. Sometimes possession is not given and this figure represents the overall position. However, I am keeping the matter under review to see if we could get a further reduction in the period.