asked the Minister for Lands whether the Land Commission have yet prepared a scheme for the division of the Mullen estate, formerly owned by Patrick Kelly, Frenchpark, County Roscommon, and, if so, when it is likely to be put into operation.

asked the Minister for Lands whether the Land Commission have prepared a scheme for the division of the Allen farm, Cloondecarra, Castlerea, County Roscommon, Record No. M5124, and, if so, when it is likely to be put into operation.

I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together. Schemes have been drafted for these lands and are under consideration. It is not possible to state with certainly when they will be allotted.

asked the Minister for Lands when a scheme will be prepared by the Land Commission for the allotment of the lands which were formerly the property of Mr. Thomas Brady, Drinane, Strokestown, County Roscommon, and have been in the hands of the Land Commission for three years.

It is hoped to have a scheme for these lands put into operation this spring.

asked the Minister for Lands if he is in a position to state whether the difficulty that has delayed the acquisition of the Shaw estate, Tallagh, Belmullet, has yet been overcome, and, if so, when it is hoped that a scheme for the division of this estate will be ready.

Yes, the Land Commission have obtained possession of these lands, but it is not yet possible to indicate when the lands will be divided.

asked the Minister for Lands if he will ask the Land Commission to investigate the number of non-residential small farms in the Attymass parish area with a view to their acquisition.

Inquiries are at present in progress in regard to some nonresidential holdings in this parish.

asked the Minister for Lands whether the Land Commission have acquired the Ellison estate, Ballinabarna, Enniscorthy, and, if so, when it will be divided among smallholders in the area.

Possession has been taken of this estate and it will be allotted as soon as practicable. The claims of local smallholders will be fully considered.

asked the Minister for Lands whether the Land Commission have acquired the Brennan estate, Rockspring, Killanne, Enniscorthy, and, if so, when it will be divided among deserving applicants.

I presume that the Deputy is referring to the former holdings of Patrick Brennan at Springmount and Knockatober which have been transferred to the Land Commission.

It is not yet possible to indicate when these lands will be divided, but there will be no avoidable delay.

Is the Minister aware that this holding has been let by an auctioneer lately, while the small farmers of that area are waiting for land? It is causing a great grievance in the area that the Land Commission should take over the land and then start letting it in this way. When they take over the land, they should divide it among the people of the area.

Sometimes if the lands that are taken over in a particular area are not sufficient to relieve congestion in the locality, the Land Commission may have proceedings instituted for other lands so as to make a decent scheme in the area. Pending such a scheme, they let the land they have on hand to the most deserving smallholders in the locality.