asked the Minister for Lands whether the Land Commission are aware that tenants on the Churcher estate at Currabaun, Cloonabricka and Cornanantymore, County Galway, have now cut away their bog, and since they have no turbary convenient, whether he will ask the Land Commission to acquire portion of the adjoining bog on the Mahon, Cloonbrock estate for division amongst these tenants.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Galway Turbary.
There are no proceedings in respect of the bog mentioned by the Deputy.
Is the Minister aware, as I have stated in the question, of the fact that a number of tenants in this locality have cut away all the turbary that they have? The result is that they are now forced to go a distance of four miles to get turbary while this huge area of bog—hundreds of acres of it— is within less than half a mile of them. In view of that, will the Minister not take steps to acquire and purchase it and so help those people who, at the moment, are compelled to go long distances for their turbary?
The Land Commission are always anxious to acquire bogs where the existing plots for local farmers and householders are running out. Our information is that there is no serious hardship yet. As soon as there is I have no doubt that the Land Commission will acquire a portion or all of the bog to which the Deputy has referred to meet the situation. The information to hand so far is that all the households are fairly well supplied, though it may be true that in the case of a few their plots are running out. The situation is not such as to demand that the Land Commission should acquire a bog for that particular purpose yet.
Is the Minister not aware that a number of applications are in his Department for pieces of turbary on this particular bog? Is he also not aware of this huge area of bog and that the people there have to travel miles to get their supplies? It is most inconvenient for them to have to travel these long distances for turbary. There are at least seven or eight people cut out at the moment and others are being cut out week after week. The turbary that is there is completely finished. There are just little bits here and there. I suggest to the Minister that steps should be taken at once by the Land Commission with a view to meeting the present position and seeing that provision is made to meet the requirements of those people.
I agree that there are applications in, but we are not satisfied that the household plots of all the applicants are cut away. I can assure the Deputy that the situation is not such as to require the Land Commission to acquire the bog yet for that particular area. If a situation should arise in which there is a scarcity, then the Land Commission will acquire the bog to meet it.
I can assure the Minister that I know the locality as well as I know the seat that I am sitting on. The case that I have made on behalf of those people is definitely true. I think that the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance is also aware of the position.
The Land Commission inspector who visited the area knows it better than the Deputy does.
Maybe he does. I was only born in the place.