Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Of course, I accept that those schemes are in place. Every year we are lobbied by the IFA and many other farm organisations and acknowledge that they are of benefit. However, our three amendments seek to do two things. One of them relates to business, but the two related to agriculture seek to sustain the smallholding which is not sustainable and has not been for some time. We want to halt the decline and disappearance of small family holdings, many of which are operated part-time because the farmers who operate them have to have other income or they will simply starve. They would not be able to exist without it. It does not seem to be appreciated in Dublin how vital these farms are to rural areas. Any income they derive, including from schemes, is spent locally with local employers, contractors and suppliers. Whether it is hardware shops or other businesses, there is a knock-on effect. They will not be fooling around with the money. They need support, which is why we have tabled amendment No. 96.

The other amendment was not mentioned by the Minister at all. While it has been ruled out of order, it defies logic as it concerns the very same issue. The people affected by amendment No. 96 are being gobbled up at an alarming rate, not only in County Tipperary but also in counties Kildare and Longford and other areas, as I found out recently. It is not funny. Since the Land Commission was disbanded, there have been no checks and balances. A conglomerate can buy any amount of land. Some people's land is bought before they even know that it is for sale. People are in trouble with the banks. There are solicitors and auctioneers who are part of a clique and money talks. They will maintain that they are putting a floor under the price of land. While they are doing so, the floor becomes a glass ceiling people are falling through. It has a huge impact on the agriculture sector as we know it. Not only do they buy the land, they also bulldoze - it should be subject to planning - and fence it and place security on it. It is like the bad old days with the English landlords. Sometimes the people in question are even worse as they will not let anyone enter. First, they wanted thousands of acres of grass for horses but now they want thousands and thousands of acres for corn and other cash crops. It is alarming.

I tried to frame the amendment every which way I could in the last number of budgets, but the money message issue takes it to the extreme. My understanding of a money message is that a charge on the people refers to a charge on the vast majority of ordinary taxpayers. This is a charge on conglomerates to bring in revenue. They have deep pockets and endless resources to buy all of this land. The charge would be levied for the greater good and to fund the Exchequer in order to support the many other measures for which we have been looking in the Finance Bill. It is very disappointing that it is not being embraced or even examined.