Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

All right. I congratulate the Chairman on his appointment as Chair. I also congratulate the Minister on his elevation. We gave a lot of days and evenings here in the last Dáil. We worked effectively together for the betterment of farming and agriculture.

We have been told that GLAS is being rolled over, which is a concern to the many people who are not in the scheme but are awaiting the new REPS. Is there any way for them to be accommodated? There are many of them out there. They are losing out with GLAS being rolled over. If the Minister could do anything for them, they would be greatly appreciative.

I ask for the age limit to be increased from 35 years to 40 years to qualify for the young trained farmer stamp duty relief. I ask because it has been a trend for the last number of years for young fellows to go abroad to try other things and to be a bit late coming back. Many of them now face a big cost in paying 7.5% stamp duty, which has increased. A farm is a big expense and a big undertaking. As we all know, what one reaps from farming is very small so it will take a long time to accumulate even the cost of the stamp duty.

Today, the fair deal scheme was raised with the Taoiseach in the Chamber. He gave a positive response in that it was to be dealt with before the end of the year. I want us to consider not assessing the value of the land. It is very unfair to put that massive cost on someone's payback in the fair deal scheme. It would cost a massive amount to pay 7.5% per year for three years on a farm, and not a very big one, valued between €400,000 and €500,000 and on top of the value of any house. That should not be the case; there are company directors in way stronger financial situations yet all that is reckonable for the fair deal scheme is the family home. It should be the same situation for farmers and I ask the Minister to consider the matter.

We want to get young people on to the land without imposing a savage burden on them. We could be talking about a wife with a young family who may be only trying to get her children through college or whatever. Farming is physically onerous work and farmers get hurt. Farmers are under physical pressure from the weather and different things to get their work done sometimes to the detriment of their health. I have made the following plea before but I shall do so again today. We must drop the need for assessing the value of a farm because it is the tool for work and we must not penalise that situation.