Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for agreeing to group the questions. I fully appreciate the separation that must exist between him as Minister for Finance and the Revenue. My concern is that the current tax law on the matter is having unintended consequences and the Minister or the Department must intervene. People have been audited and they have been told by Revenue that all matters are kosher but a few years' later they get a letter out of the blue from Revenue demanding in some cases five figure sums. That is devastating for many people and it is very unfair on the taxpayers concerned. Will the Minister review the legislation governing this entire area because there is a potential long-term loss to the State as a result of the current Revenue interpretation, but in the meantime there is significant loss to the individual farmers involved which is most regrettable and undesirable and is something that could be avoided?

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