asked the Minister for Lands whether he is aware of the hardship caused to Messrs. Mortimer Moriarty and Patrick J. Moriarty, Droum, Glenbeigh, County Kerry, because their holdings are being acquired by the Land Commission, and that they were forced, as a result of falling into debt, to seek employment in England to enable them to restock the land; and whether, in the circumstances, the Land Commission will consider the propriety of stopping proceedings to deprive them of their smallholdings which they are prepared to restock and develop.

Proceedings for the resumption of these two holdings were instituted in 1954. Petitions against resumption were lodged by the tenants; these were decided last month in open session before the commissioners, and after a full hearing, at which the tenants were represented by counsel, the petitions were dismissed.

Is the Minister aware that the decision referred to was very drastic? If the Minister cannot undo or interfere with that decision, will he at least make arrangements for alternative holdings for these two tenants? The tenants referred to, through no fault of their own——

The Deputy must not make a speech.

——had to seek employment abroad and the decision to deprive them of the land was, as I have said, a very drastic one. Will the Minister——

The Deputy is making a speech.

The Deputy will recollect that part of the reserved functions of the Land Commission, with which the Minister has nothing to do, is the acquisition and allotment of land, but I shall certainly inform the Minister of the Deputy's observations in regard to this matter.