Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister talks about separating things out. If the Department of Finance was in tune it would have a separate thing for agricultural land. The Minister says he cannot separate one from the other, but there is a scheme for farmers under 35 years. Unfortunately, there is a situation where the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine says a young farmer is one under 40 years and the Department of Finance says it is 35 years. I wonder which it is.

I did not ask the Minister to lose money in any of this. He could had taken the hint from what myself and Deputy Mattie McGrath did. I tabled amendments that were twice ruled out of order, though I raised it here and I argued the toss, but I have to accept the Ceann Comhairle's ruling. I proposed a measure that would bring in perhaps twice as much money from the likes of these vultures by introducing a 50% tax, as people such as David Hall have called for, and those who are shafting people would have to pay the tax.

Fair play to Deputy Deering, the Minister of State, Deputy D'Arcy, and every other Deputy mentioned by the Minister for what they have done. It is a pity they did not also tell the Minister about the small farmer who is trying to buy the 20 acres, about the small shopkeeper. We have choices to make. If someone opened a shop in rural Ireland, the council would be due rates immediately. That is less money for the Exchequer to send down. These are the things that will benefit rural Ireland and are needed.

Young farmers who want to buy bits of land are walking away from it. Look at the rates that were there, which were 9% rates, that is four times what the Minister said. What is the result of this? Most of our farmers are now over 55 years. When the Government includes incentives, they will ensure that young farmers will come in, but what we are doing is removing the incentives and we will end up with farmers who will not bother about taking over the farm. This is the consequence.

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