asked the Minister for Agriculture the proposals for the restructuring of the Land Commission.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Land Commission.
12.
The Deputy will appreciate that it would be inappropriate for me at this stage to give details of what is proposed. I shall be making an announcement in the matter in due course.
Has it been stated by the Government, and the Minister's party, in recent years that the Land Commission will be restructured? Is it not relevant to ask the appropriate Minister the proposals, if any, he has for restructuring the Land Commission? That is my first question.
Has the Deputy finished?
Will the Minister answer my question?
I expected the Deputy to resume his seat if he had finished, but, as he is still standing, I do not know whether he has finished or not.
The Minister should be sitting while the Deputy is putting a question to him.
A vital part of the framework for new legislation would be the report of the inter-departmental committee which arrived about one year ago. For some months the draft memorandum has been with the Government for consideration and I hope to press on with it with all possible speed. The Deputy may have noticed that the Minister for Agriculture has other preoccupations also.
Would the Minister agree that in the interim, to use a West Cork term, the Land Commission are broke? Would he agree that they do not have funds at their disposal to acquire land and are not functioning as a result of that acute shortage of money? I will pose only one question at a time to the Minister because he does not like to get too many together.
I am calling the next question.
I have put a question to the Minister.
The question on the Order Paper relates to the restructuring of the Land Commission.
I have asked the Minister what will happen while the report is being considered by the Government. Will the Land Commission be sitting still without any funds?
No.
Have the Land Commission any money?
That is political propaganda which is not correct.
Have the Land Commission money to buy land?
Of course, the Land Commission have money.
How much land have the Land Commission purchased this year?
If the Deputy puts down a question seeking that information I will tell him.
When can the House expect to receive the new Land Bill promised by the Minister?
When consideration of this elaborate piece of legislation has been completed by the Government and when the Bill has been drafted.
While awaiting that Bill is it not the situation that the Department have written to hundreds of people to the effect that until the new proposals are formulated land will not be purchased by the Land Commission?
That is not correct. I will deal with that matter when replying to another question on the Order Paper.
Is the Minister aware of unrest, dissatisfaction and concern among those employed by the Land Commission with regard to their future?
I am not so aware. There is no need for such disquiet, if such disquiet exists.