HC Deb 28 February 1918 vol 103 cc1527-8
10 and 11. Mr. DUFFY

asked the Chief Secretary (1) whether he is aware that potatoes, milk, and all foods containing fat are abnormally scarce in Loughrea; is he aware that 100 persons in the town requested the Congested Districts Board to grant them facilities over land in their possession to raise food this year; is he aware that the Board refused the facilities on the ground that it was possible the land might be divided during the year; what action will be taken to comply with the advice of the Government to cultivate more land and raise more food this year; (2) whether he is aware that the small traders, mechanics, and labourers of the town of Loughrea have more than once petitioned the Congested Districts Board for a share of the untenanted land in their hands and running into the township on the eastern side of the town; is he aware that the people generally are most anxious to assist the Government in raising crops, and, in their desire to assist the Government, applied for facilities to cultivate a share of the land to the east of the town; and, before the Congested Districts Board appropriate these lands for other purposes, seeing that the need and urgency of raising more food in the present year is so manifest, will he represent to the Congested Districts Board the wisdom of providing accommodation for the townspeople out of these lands before they are otherwise disposed of?

Mr. SAMUELS

The Food Control Committee for Ireland are not aware that there is any shortage of potatoes in the Loughrea district. They have, on the contrary, good reason to believe that there is an ample supply of potatoes in that district. No representations as to the shortage of milk and other foodstuffs containing fat have been received by the Committee which has no reason to suppose that the scarcity of these foodstuffs is any greater in Loughrea than elsewhere. The Congested Districts Board are dealing with the lands in question forthwith by permanent allotment of them in relief of agricultural congestion in accordance with their statutory powers. A large extent of untilled land near Loughrea is held by townspeople of Loughrea.