Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

A number of Deputies expressed concern on Second Stage and Committee Stage regarding the treatment of farms under the Bill. In particular, they indicated their concerns with regard to the potential impact of the 5% annual contribution on the sustainability of family farms and businesses specifically in situation where care is required from an early age and for a prolonged period. This issue was also raised by stakeholder groups.

Amendments Nos. 117, 118, 120, 121 and 125 reflect a commitment the Minister made on Committee Stage to consider extending the three-year 15% cap to farms in certain circumstances. At the time she stated that any beneficial measure extended to farms would, in the interests of equity, also have to be extended to businesses. The amendments provide that a farm or business shall be taken into account within the financial assessment for three years only in circumstances where a person has suffered a sudden illness or disability which causes them to require long-term residential care; where a person or his or her partner were actively engaged in the daily management of the farm or relevant business, as the case may be, up until the advent of the sudden illness or disability; and where a family successor certifies that he or she will continue the management of the farm or relevant business, as the case may be. In the case of couples, the measure will apply where the applicant suffers a sudden and unforeseen illness and where either or both members of the couple have been involved in running the family farm or business. This stipulation is in keeping with the principle of joint assessment of couples.

This proposal necessitated new definitions of the following words "business", "family successor", "farm", "farming", "relevant business" and "unquoted". I ask Deputies to accept these beneficial amendments.

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