§ Mr. FRANCIS MEEHANasked the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland), whether any portion of the £25,000 loan granted for afforestation has been applied to the province of Connaught; and whether he will consider the claims of farmers in county Leitrim for Grants for such a purpose, having regard to the fact that a number of estates had been denuded of timber previous to their sale to the tenants in that county?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo portion of the advance of £25,000 from the Development Fund for afforestation has been expended on the purchase of land in Connaught, but the Department are in negotiation for the purchase, subject to the Development Commissioners' approval, of two areas amounting to over 2,000 acres in that province. Two areas, extending to 1,700 acres have already been acquired in county Galway by means of the annual Vote of £6,000 for the purchase by the Department of woodlands—remnants of estates which are being dealt with under the Land Acts. The Department have made inquiries for land for afforestation in county Leitrim, but no suitable areas of sufficient extent have yet been offered to them. The advance from the Development Fund can be applied only to the purchase of extensive tracts of land which are suitable for economic timber growing, and no portion can be utilised to assist farmers in the planting of their holdings.