Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy asked some questions about the cost of these measures. My officials have now provided some costs, which I will quickly share, with the permission of the Chair. With regard to section 658A, which relates to slurry storage, the estimated cost was €1 million in 2022 and €9 million in 2023. The combined estimated cost in respect of section 667B, which relates to stock relief for young trained farmers, and section 667C, which relates to farm partnership stock relief, is €3 million for 2023 and the same for 2024. The cost in respect of section 81AA, which relates to stamp duty relief for young trained farmers, was €15.01 million in 2021 and €14.95 million in 2022. The cost in respect of section 81C, relating to farm consolidation relief, was €1.3 million in 2021 and €1.16 million in 2022. Section 285D, relating to farm safety, was only introduced in 2020. The cost in terms of tax forgone is expected to be approximately €1.5 million when introduced. The estimated cost of section 604B, relating to capital gains tax and farm restructuring, is €900,000 for the current year. I just wished to put those figures on the record.

Turning to the Deputy's question, to comply with the specific requirements of Article 18 of the new agricultural block exemption regulation, ABER, an additional amendment is to be made in respect of the young trained farmer relief. As a general rule, one of the conditions for obtaining the young trained farmer relief is that the person to whom land is transferred holds an approved agricultural qualification on the date of transfer. The legislation currently provides that, where a transferee obtains such a qualification within four years of the date of transfer, he or she may apply for a refund of the stamp duty paid on the transfer. To comply with Article 18 of the new ABER, this additional amendment will reduce from four years to three years the period during which a transferee may obtain an approved agricultural qualification following the transfer of land and still qualify for the relief. In order to ensure that those who have already acquired land but not yet obtained an approved agricultural qualification are not unfairly disadvantaged by this change, the amendment will not have effect for transfers of land effected before the date of enactment. The short answer is that this change is to comply with state aid rules as advised by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The amendment reduces the period of time from four years to three years.