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

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I have read all that he read out. Farmers have been notified by the local authorities that they are liable for the tax, even for land that is zoned as strategic residential in reserve. That is wrong. These are active farmers. It is recognised there is no demand for this development land around Killarney. There is no demand as such. In 20 years' time, if farmers have to wait that long, their land might still not be sold because we are waiting for a bypass. For some of these farmers, their only access is onto the national primary road, which is the N22 going to Killarney. We know the kind of traffic jams that are on that road. If there was to be a housing estate there, people could not get onto the road any evening because we do not even have the bypass.

I say to the Minister of State these people are contemplating going to An Bord Pleanála. They have to go but it is an expensive process. I ask the Minister of State to ensure they are not put through this. Active farmers who have been farming their lands for many years should not be put through this. They should be exempt. A distinction should be made between the big hoarders of land in Dublin, where the housing problem is.

We have an outland that is owned by the county council in Killarney at present to cater for the housing list, including land at St. Finian's and other lands the council has. There are other smaller pockets of land in the town of Killarney that could be built on. When all those places are built, in 20 years' time, the council can then come to these fellas by agreement, but it should not try to force them off their lands with this tax because that is what it and the Government are trying to do.

I am sorry the Minister is not here to listen to me make the case. He is wrong in going down this road. He is hurting people. I was brought up to understand that you should never try to put one person or one community up by putting others down. That is very wrong. I ask the Minister of State to ensure that active farmers are exempted from this vacant land tax.

See this speech in context