asked the Minister for Lands what steps have been taken since a previous reply on the matter regarding the acquisition and division of the Goor Estate, Portroe, County Tipperary.

The Land Commission have recently carried out a further inspection of this 183 acre property with a view to determining whether compulsory acquisition proceedings should now be instituted. There will be no avoidable delay in reaching an early decision in the matter.

Can the Minister inform the House how long ago it is since I raised this question and how many times I have raised it?

No doubt the Deputy has that information. I have not got it readily available, but I have told the Deputy that a recent inspection has been carried out and that the decision of the Land Commissioners is awaited as a result of this inspection.

Is that not in similar terms to the reply the Minister gave me at least six months ago?

No. The last reply I gave the Deputy on this was, as far as I can trace, that the position regarding this property was under investigation by the Land Commission and that it would get speedy investigation. That was, I think, in April, 1964.

In view of the amount of congestion in that particular area, can the Minister at least say when he expects the Land Commission to finish negotiations with this large German landowner?

I have informed the Deputy, if he reads my reply.

I have not had a chance to read it yet.

The Land Commission have recently carried out a further inspection of this property with a view to determining whether compulsory acquisition proceedings should now be instituted. I am telling the Deputy that the decision of the Land Commissioner on this recent report will be available very shortly, probably in the next couple of weeks.