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Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Peter Callanan: I support the Minister for Agriculture and Food although I appreciate Senator Coonan's point. I have also read the IFA's submission. The Minister is correct about the value of land today in comparison to its value when the Land Commission stopped buying. At that time, land was valued at £1,500 per acre at most. In the years prior to that, land was acquired by the Land Commission for as...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Mary Coughlan: ...will be commenced by section or paragraph. The first section to be commenced will be section 2, which provides for the write-off and will remove from approximately 4,500 annuitants the burden of land purchase annuities and any requirement to obtain a certificate under section 5. Similarly, anyone who avails of the buy-out scheme under section 3 will not require a certificate under section...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: ...when I hear what people such as the Minister and Senator Callanan say about this matter. They are far removed from the reality of what is happening in agriculture with the ordinary farmer. The land is worth nothing to the ordinary farmer if he is to continue as a farmer. He farms the land and its value is handed down from one generation to another. To the majority of farmers I speak about,...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: In the context of today's land values, the Senator's comments are amazing. Much of the land has decreased significantly in value and many farms have been withdrawn from sale in the past 12 months because nobody wants to buy them. Unless one is a big business person, looking for a holiday home or wants to get into farming as a pastime——

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: ...s refusal to increase the threshold as proposed in the first amendment, I shall press this amendment. The legislation must be attractive for the farming community and we must finally get rid of the land annuities. The Minister spoke about arrears in her reply to the last amendment but she has overlooked a point. When this contract was given by the Land Commission to farmers, there was a...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: ...to the House for the Report Stage debate. I was disappointed that we were not allowed to raise this issue on Committee Stage. The Minister is proposing to write off everything below €200 due in land annuity bills, including arrears. We propose to increase the threshold to under €500. We want this Bill to be a success. The Minister recognised that when she addressed the House. It has...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Noel Coonan: ...we want to help the most are those most in need of such help. The category of farmers affected by the provisions of this amendment is in dire need. These farmers need help in order to stay on the land and to maintain the fabric of rural Ireland by keeping their families on the land. I want this Bill to be successful as it includes many good provisions. If the Minister for Agriculture and...

Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Mary Coughlan: Acceptance of this amendment would double the lack of resource from the land annuitant to the State. As I indicated on Committee Stage, these people are not necessarily those with significant arrears. This was on the basis of a fair system where, despite a 50% write-off and a review of repayments, significant arrears still exist. It is unjustifiable on the basis of the asset that has been...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Mary Coughlan: ...and equitable balance between the taxpayer and the annuitant. The Government has gone beyond the commitment given in the Sustaining Progress agreement "significantly to reduce the burden of land purchase annuities for substantial numbers of farmers". The burden will be removed for 4,500 farmers. I appreciate Senator Coonan's point and his amendment carries some merit. However, I am not in...

Seanad: Land Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (20 Oct 2004)

Mary Coughlan: ...with the Minister for Finance" in the amendment but even if I were to accept it, the Department of Finance would not approve its provision. This issue was negotiated by my predecessor. The value of land has increased considerably and the annuities are comparatively minor. A write-off for 4,500 farmers represents the fairest possible provision by my Department. The Department did its best...