asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware of the shortage of land available for young farmers or graduates in agriculture who wish to take up farming as a profession; if he has any plans to provide land from the Land Commission land bank for long-term leasing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Leasing is capable of making a major contribution to the solution of our land mobility problem and I am making every effort to secure its more widespread acceptance. In this context the possibility of leasing some of the lands in the possession of the Land Commission is being examined.

When does the Minister intend that the new legislation will be implemented?

It is proposed to bring the legislation before the House in the autumn.

Would the Minister say whether this plan for leasing is linked into the farm apprenticeship scheme?

I have met members of the Farm Apprenticeship Board and members of the Farm Management Association and have taken their submissions and have taken note of what they have to say. Hopefully there will be a place for them in a leasing arrangement.

(Limerick West): How will this scheme be financed? Will there be an input from the Exchequer and if so how much?

The legislation will be a short Bill which will mean basically that the tenant at the expiry of the tenancy will have no right unlike the position at the moment where the tenant could claim some right.

The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.

Is there any danger that land will be impoverished as a result of that when the lease comes to an end? Will the Minister see to it that the charges per annum are much less than they are at the moment with the Land Commission?

The reason I am giving so much time to the whole concept of land leasing is to get greater mobility of land and greater production.