asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the total number of landless men, other than employees on estates, who have been given economic holdings since 1948.

Since 1st April, 1948, the number of allottees of this class is 21.

May I take it from the Minister's reply that it is the policy of this Government and of previous Governments to allocate economic holdings to landless men?

No. The Deputy may not take that. The Deputy may take it that the classes of persons to be accommodated is laid down by statute and is not alterable by a Government or by a Minister without legislation. The particular class to be accommodated is laid down in the Act and the Land Commission at their discretion may give holdings to that type of class. It is at the discretion of the Land Commission.

If I put down a further question will I be informed of the area——

The Deputy should try.

asked the Minister for Lands whether the Land Commission have considered the propriety of acquiring the lands of Mr. John Murray, Gortloose, Scramogue, County Roscommon, for division among deserving applicants, and, if so, with what result.

The Land Commission have no proceedings for the acquisition of this estate.

Would the Minister request the Land Commission to investigate the desirability of acquiring this estate?

Inquiries are in progress—they have been initiated but they have not reached a stage where proceedings are in progress.

asked the Minister for Lands whether a scheme for the allocation of the estates of O'Farrell and Hardy, Dalystown, near Loughrea, County Galway, is in course of preparation by the Land Commission, and, if so, when it is likely to be put into operation.

Schemes for the allotment of the O'Farrell estate and the adjoining estate of the Dalystown Company are being prepared at present but it is not yet possible to state when allotment will take place. The two estates comprise nearly 800 acres and their allotment may represent a last chance of meeting the just claims of many small-holders in the area; it is therefore essential that the scheme should be prepared with the utmost care.

The Hardy estate is the subject of an appeal on price and it cannot be assumed at this stage that it will become available for allotment.