Noel Coonan (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 3, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following:

"(2) Within 10 days of the commencement of this section, the Minister shall consult with the Minister for Finance as to the feasibility of increasing the threshold amount in subsection (1) to €500.".

I welcome the Minister back 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 the capacity to be good legislation. However, as it stands, it is mediocre. I wish to afford the Minister the opportunity to make it good legislation and a worthwhile exercise.

The indication is that it costs the Department more to collect these annuities, approximately €200,000, than is gained from collecting them. The same would apply if our amendment to increase the threshold to under €500 were accepted. It would bring approximately another 1,000 farmers on board and save much money and time, releasing Department officials to carry out other more important duties.

The Minister said she wants the Bill to be a success. I also want the Bill to be a success. I formally propose the threshold be increased to under €500. It would be of benefit to smaller farmers who are under tremendous pressure. There is a flight from the land on a daily basis. We want to help smaller farmers, keep them on the land, enable them to compete and keep them in rural Ireland. Not only will agriculture benefit, but the whole fabric of rural society will benefit if those farmers and their families are kept on the land. The Department will make savings towards the cost of collections and the amendment will also make the Bill more attractive.