asked the Minister for Lands the number of farmers who migrated from congested areas in County Mayo during 1973-74.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mayo Migration.
4.
(Cavan): As I have stated previously, in reply to parliamentary questions and in the course of the debate on the Estimate for my Department, migration generally from Connacht to Leinster has declined considerably in recent years. This overall trend is reflected in the figures for County Mayo, all of which is a scheduled congested area, which were as follows :— 1968-69—15; 1969-70—9; 1970-71— 3; 1971-72—4; 1972-73—4; 1973-74— 1.
While it is not possible to say at this stage how many migrants will be moved from County Mayo in the coming 12 months it may be taken that the number, if any, will be very small.
Am I to take it that it is because the land pool is declining that the land is not available for migrants?
(Cavan): It is not that. When the transfer or the migration of somebody from Mayo, say, to another county is considered there are two considerations. One is the suitability of the farm which the migrant would be leaving for the relief of congestion in Mayo, for example, and the other is the availability of a suitable holding elsewhere. My information is that the number of offers from migrants with suitable holdings to surrender is very minimal and I am also told that where migrants have suitable holdings to surrender they have become in recent years much more difficult to satisfy and much more selective in their approach to the holding that they are going to take. It is thought that, perhaps, the social assistance payable to farmers has had some effect on the trend of migration from Connacht to the other parts.