Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this pressing issue. It is an issue that the Department of Finance is currently working its way through. The objective of the Government is to ensure that those who are actively farming their land are not put in a situation whereby because the zoned land tax will apply to them, they cannot continue to farm or must sell the land. They need to be able to apply to have the land dezoned if they do not want it categorised in that way.

Overall, the Government's objective is to ensure that any land that is zoned is actively available in order that there is not lots of land zoned in principle but unavailable because those who own it do not wish it to become available. We want an accurate reflection of zoned land. This means that those people who are actively farming need the opportunity to dezone it. A number have already done that. Issues have arisen of which the Department of Finance is aware and is working its way through to ensure that principle can be applied and those people are not made liable.

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