Ms Niamh Farrell:

I echo what our colleagues in the IFA said in terms of local needs and what is relevant to those in local communities. We have had members who wanted to build on their farms. These are farmers who were born and reared in areas but who were told they were of no local need to that area, but their partner, who was not born, bred or reared there, because they had a different profession, would actually get them planning. We need to look at the rural planning guidelines.

In regard to capital gains tax, I do not think that would be very relevant. There are many people in rural Ireland who want to live on their rural land, and if we can get them sorted first, it would be a great job. I have two points to make on that, namely, it is an increase in wealth for those people with the most and nothing for the young people who are already living hand to mouth. Those are my two points on that.