asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware that a person (name supplied) in Ballinasloe, County Galway, bought the Burke estate, Kilconnell, which is in a congested area surrounded by a number of uneconomic holdings; and if the Land Commission have considered the propriety of acquiring this estate for subdivision in the near future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Galway Estate.
18.
The Land Commission have interested themselves in this 164-acre property on a number of occasions. Inquiries have again been carried out recently with the consent of the present owner but it is not possible to forecast just now what the outcome will be.
Is the Minister aware that this holding was literally purchased for a song by a member of the veterinary profession who made a fortune out of the BTE scheme? Is he further aware that there is great unrest in the locality as a result of the handling of this holding by the Land Commission?
These lands were inspected on a number of occasions and a decision by the Land Commission not to proceed with their acquisition was taken on two or three occasions, taking into consideration the working of the land. My information is that at the moment certain negotiations are going on with the present owner, and I should prefer not to say anything else at this stage, pending the outcome of those negotiations.