§ Captain SHEEHANasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware of the difficulty in securing allotments adjacent to or within the Cork city boundary for those who are willing to till them; and what steps it is proposed to take to meet the necessities of those who are willing to assist in the production of home-grown food supplies?
§ Mr. DUKEI would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given to his question on the 25th February, and add that the application of the Corporation of Cork for compulsory powers for allotments is being inquired into at present.
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§ Mr. FIELDasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware of the desire of many persons willing to undertake land cultivation that a suitable portion of Phoenix Park should be given for allotments; whether, under the Defence of the Realm Act, any technical or legal obstacles can be overcome; and whether he can state what the Government intend to do in respect to the allocation of public land for public purposes in Phoenix Park?
§ Mr. DUKEIt was decided last year that the Phoenix Park could not be made available for allotments. Some Crown lands in the neighbourhood of the Park were, however, made available, and this represents the limit to which public lands can be secured for this purpose.
§ Mr. LYNCHasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether his attention has been called to resolutions of public bodies in county Clare, including the Urban District Council and the Rural District Council of Kilrush, calling attention to the fact that whereas uneconomic tenants who comply with the Tillage Regulations have not sufficient grass for their dairy cattle large grass ranches in the neighbourhood are left in the possession of landlords who till only a small portion; and whether, in view of the seriousness of the food question and the necessity of removing causes of complaint, he will advise that these grass ranches be taken over for sub-division among the tenants?
§ Mr. DUKEA copy of the resolution adopted by the Kilrush Urban District Council has been forwarded to the Department of Agriculture. The question of the sub-division of grass lands among tenants is not a matter for the Department. The powers in connection with the compulsory Tillage Regulations are confined to securing the cultivation of land for food production, and they do not contemplate the permanent possession or division of land. The compulsory Tillage Regulations are being enforced in county Clare and throughout Ireland, and the Department of Agriculture have entered upon lands of large extent where the Regulations were not complied with. Arrangements for similar entries in other cases are being made. It is a serious hindrance to such entries under statutory authority wherever unlawful entries are made upon lands in any district concerned.