Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

If there is land in a suitable place for housing that is not being actively farmed, of course - no problem in the world - it should be taxed because we want to encourage the use of that land. We should not go after farmers, however. One thing that has transpired, and I know I am only giving an example for everybody else in the House, is that people have come to me who missed the date for inclusion in the exemption because they were not aware of it. The matter simply passed them by. They were getting on with their lives and did not realise that this was happening. They are not going to be included in any exemption. That is why I ask the Taoiseach to ensure that people who are special cases, who are genuine farmers and who are not hoarding land will be exempt from this tax, however that is managed. This is a reasonable and sensible plea to make on behalf of those people. Nobody should be hoarding land when there is a housing crisis. Nobody should be holding on to anything. We should be utilising every bit of land, every house and every type of accommodation that is available in order to ensure that have a roof over their heads. The Government should not be doing one thing at the expense of the other. Let farmers continue farming and let us build houses where we should be building them.

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