Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is an irony that the Minister is the person introducing this legislation. He was a lone voice in the wilderness of the noughties warning against dependence on stamp duty for Government revenues. I will repeat the query of my colleague earlier. Is there absolute certainty in the Department that founding the entire budget on this measure, which it is anticipated will yield €376 million, is a sustainable way of funding the budget and that the €376 million will actually be delivered? Is there certainty in the Department and the Revenue Commissioners on this estimate?

The Minister mentioned that transitional arrangements will be put in place for the Finance Bill. Will those transitional arrangements affect purchasers who have exchanged contracts but have not completed conveyance by 12 midnight? What does the Minister envisage will be the extent of those transitional arrangements? Will the transitional arrangements impact on the potential revenue from this measure?

With regard to Deputy Fitzmaurice's amendment, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed, told his departmental post-budget press conference this evening that this measure did not affect agricultural land. He was very clear on that. The Minister has mentioned the consanguinity relief and the young trained farmer relief. Can he confirm the Minister, Deputy Creed's view that this does not apply to agricultural land, something which he stated very clearly at his departmental press conference this evening?

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