Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 February 2014
554. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will assign responsibility for old Land Commission banks to his Department, the Office of Public Works or the local authorities, as currently such embankments are in legal limbo and have suffered from a lack of attention over the years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5286/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraBy virtue of the provisions of Section 10 of the Land Act, 1965 my Department, as successor to the former Irish Land Commission, does not retain responsibility for the construction, cleansing, maintenance, repair or restoration of embankments, or other works in relation to lands purchased under the Land Purchase Acts. Responsibility for these works normally rests with the property owner. Arising from the acquisition of a small number of estates, the former Irish Land Commission retained a portion of the purchase money for the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of embankments and sluices but only on these particular estates. These retained funds were entrusted to the Public Trustee, who is now an officer of my Department. The Public Trustee has responsibility for the investment of these funds and the income earned may be applied for the specific purposes described in the trust deed for the estates in question. These funds may not be applied for any other purposes.
