§ Mr. FARRELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland when he proposes to take over the untenanted lands in Ireland on which the owners have made no attempt to comply with the food-production Order; and whether he is aware that the shortest and most effective method of dealing with them would be to sub-let them at once to the landless people in each district?
§ Mr. DUKEThe Department of Agriculture will exercise their powers of entry upon the lands of occupiers who fail to fulfil the requirements of the compulsory tillage Regulations in the manner called for by the circumstances of each case.
§ Mr. FARRELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that in order to meet the Orders of the Irish Government on food production the Farmers and labourers of Ireland are now busy in all directions putting down large crops in the country to provide food for next year; and whether he, as head of the Irish Government, will represent to the Director of National Service the undesirability of applying to Ireland any provisions under his new National Service scheme which would have the effect of 571W preventing the food work being done, and in other respects cause grievous unrest and annoyance in the country?
§ Mr. DUKEI am informed there are evidences of a general disposition to fulfil the requirements of the Orders made under the Defence of the Realm Regulations with a view to an increase in the area of land under tillage in Ireland. Under the proposed scheme of National Service due regard will be paid to the needs of agriculture.
§ Mr. FLAVINasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that the Listowel Urban District Council and the Listowel Rural District Council have difficulty in securing land for tillage purposes for the increased production of food; whether he can say if both councils over a month ago made representations to the Local Government Board and Department of Agriculture; and whether he will advise these Government Departments to immediately put their compulsory tillage powers into operation by delegating them to the Listowel Urban District Council and Listowel Rural District Council for immediate use?
§ Mr. DUKEThe Department of Agriculture have received representations from the Listowel Rural District Council in regard to certain unoccupied land at Doon, county Kerry, and as soon as the necessary agreement has been completed the Department propose to exercise their power of entry and to authorise the county to arrange for the cultivation of the land during the coming season. With regard to Listowel Urban District Council, the Local Government Board have received a representation that the council have failed to secure land for tillage purposes, and the Board have directed their inspector to make immediate inquiries in regard to the matter. Rural district councils have power to take lands compulsorily under Section 12 of the Labourers (Ireland) Act, 1886, when all steps to secure the land by agreement have failed.
§ Mr. FLAVINasked how many acres of land Mr. M. Hill, sub-agent to Lord Listowel, has in his possession in the vicinity of Listowel; how much of this land has been used for the production of food; and how much, if any, of Mr. Hill's land has been offered to the local committee for conacre purposes to increase the food supply?
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§ Mr. DUKEI am informed that Mr. Hill holds about 18 acres of land in the vicinity of Listowel, of which in last season 5 acres were meadow, 11 acres under pasture, and 1 rood 20 perches were tilled. None of the land has been offered for conacre.
§ Mr. FLAVINasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that Mr. Crosbie, of Ardfert, has in his possession 275 acres of grazing and tillage land which he has purchased through the Estates Commissioners; whether he is aware that since the War began Mr. Crosbie has not cultivated a single acre of this land and has refused to let it for food production; whether he is aware that in the immediate vicinity there are over 100 families, comprising over 600 human beings, who are absolutely landless, and therefore have not the opportunity of producing food for themselves; will he say whether Mr. Crosbie has applied for exemption; and when the Department will empower a local committee or the local authority to use these lands for food production for the nation's needs?
§ Mr. DUKENo application for exemption appears to have been received in this case. Should the owner fail to comply with the Regulations, the Department of Agriculture will put into operation such of their powers under the Regulations as may be required by the circumstances of the case.