Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I congratulate her on her role, her advocacy for this Bill and getting it to this Stage. It is certainly going to be part of her legacy. I acknowledge, as others have, the work of her predecessor, Mr. Jim Daly, with whom I had much contact in my previous role as Government Chief Whip regarding the progression of this legislation as a priority. As with other Bills, it has had a rather tortuous journey. Its general scheme was approved by the Cabinet in June 2019. The changes are outlined in the legislation before us. I acknowledge the work of Mr. Daly. It is important that we do not forget those who ploughed the fields before us. I also acknowledge the work and lobbying of the Irish Farmers' Association, including Ms Maura Canning and Mr. Joe Healy, and others.

I welcome the changes in the Bill and acknowledge the Minister of State's openness to examining issues raised on various Stages in the Dáil and to tabling amendments, as she did. It is a pity this is the last week of the term and that proceedings are a little more rushed than they should be. This is the nature of things, unfortunately.

I welcome the changes to the Bill because business people, particularly farmers, have a great affinity with and affection for the land. It is not about what the land is worth financially but what it is worth emotionally and in the sense of its having been in the family for generations. There is concern that some land could be lost or sold to pay for the care of loved ones. It is quite an emotive issue. Irrespective of what the land is worth, it is needed to generate enough income for a farm to continue in operation. I welcome the cap that has been put in place for farmers and small businesses. It will give peace of mind to people as they go about their business. Very often, a person might have an elderly loved one to care for in addition to other dependants, including children, depending on the circumstances. It was always a matter of the balance and sustainability of the scheme. As Senator Mullen said, the question of who will look after us all will continue to arise. It is a matter of timely access for those who need support.

The appointment or nomination of a family successor is positive. Does a person nominate a family successor when thinking about the fair deal scheme, or should every farmer or businessperson consider the matter in his or her fifties, if that is not too late? One does not know what will happen in some cases. Should the nominee be known within the family and go through a process? Succession planning is important. This could be considered.

Rental income was raised by others. It is an important issue. There are vacant houses with weeds growing around them at a time we need houses in various areas. I acknowledge that not all houses may be suitable, depending on the location. A house may be in the middle of a working farm so it might not be practicable to rent it. Where it is possible to rent a house, it should be considered. Disincentives to renting should be addressed.

I raised the issue of carers in the House previously. There is a broader debate on looking after people at home, where possible. My colleague has spoken about his circumstances. My late father, whose case I spoke about in the House previously, had a debilitating condition. My mother promised him that we would look after him at home. There were seven of us in the family so we were able to do that. My uncle had a stroke on 12 March. He was 88 at the time and had never been in hospital in his life. Just like that, he is now in a nursing home. He is quite content. We just never know when these things will happen, no matter how much planning we do. We are all going to start getting sore knees and hips and eventually we will drop away. Things can happen suddenly. Families may have to deal with issues for which they have not prepared or planned and they may have to run around trying to find information.I welcome this change, which will be important in giving peace of mind in respect of a very important scheme which most families, if not all families, will at some stage apply for and use.