§ 20. Captain SHEEHANasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether his attention has been drawn to a resolution of the Cork Industrial Development Association demanding that immediate steps should be taken to have suitable land contiguous to cities and towns made available on reasonable terms for the provision of allotments for city and town workers ; can he state how much land has been made available for this purpose in the city of Cork and the towns of Cork county; and what assistance has been given by the Department of Agriculture in the matter; what steps are being at present taken to increase the number of town workers' allotments; and what area of land will be brought into cultivation all over Ireland by this method?
§ The SOLICITOR-GENERAL for IRELAND (Mr. Arthur Samuels)The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Approximately fifty-five statute acres were made available for allotments last year in the city of Cork, and in six of the urban districts in Cork county fifty-four statute acres were provided. The lands were obtained by agreement, and, generally speaking, these agreements hold good for the present year, but in one urban district eight additional acres have been acquired by agreement. The Order under the Local Government (Allotments and Land Cultivation) Act, 1917, enabling urban authorities to provide allotment schemes, was issued to all urban district councils in December last, and the councils are also aware of the provisions under the Defence of the Realm Regulations in regard to allotments. Last year there were, approximately, 1,375 statute acres under allotments in Ireland. It is not possible at present to give any estimate of the area to be cultivated in allotments this year. The Department of Agriculture have provided special instructors for allotment holders in Cork city, and arrangements have been made for similar instruction in other towns in county Cork carrying out allotment schemes.