Jim O'Keeffe
Ceist:54 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the estimated acreage of undivided commonage lands in the country and his policy regarding the division of same.
Written Answers. - Undivided Commonage Lands.
Figures are not available for the area of land held in common in the country as a whole. However it is estimated that there are about 0.6 million hectares of land held in this manner in the west of Ireland.
It is the policy of this Department to arrange the division of commonages with a view to improved land use and in the interests of animal health. Where all the shareholders agree to division the Department gives assistance by way of mapping, lockspitting etc. The Department also takes responsibility for the completion of the legal formalities. Where a majority of shareholders but not all apply to have a commonage divided the powers of the Land Acts may be used to effect a compulsory division.