David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 49: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on allowing graduates of the bachelor of agricultural science offered by University College Dublin to be eligible for the stamp duty relief on transfers of land to young trained farmers scheme operated by the Revenue Commissioners; the reason this degree course is not considered an eligible qualification in view of the fact that other agricultural science qualifications of the same level and below are eligible under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35043/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999, as amended, provides for a Stamp Duty Exemption on the purchase of farm land by Young Trained Farmers. To qualify for the relief, an individual must, on the date of execution of the instrument of transfer, be under 35 years of age and hold a relevant qualification.

The relevant qualifications are set out in Schedules to the Act. A degree in Agri-Environmental Science awarded by University College Dublin is not a specified qualification for the purposes of the relief.

However, the legislation provides that the Revenue Commissioners will treat another qualification as a relevant qualification where Teagasc certifies that — a. the other qualification corresponds to a relevant qualification, and b. the other qualification is deemed by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland to be at least at a level equivalent to the specified relevant qualifications.

Teagasc has examined the Agri-Environmental Sciences Degree and has taken the view that it does not have sufficient production agriculture and farm business management content in the core modules to meet the stamp duty relief and installation aid requirement as "young trained farmers". However, it is recognised that some students may have chosen production agriculture and farm business management as their options/electives in the degree programme. Teagasc and UCD have agreed on a list of options/electives, when achieved as components of, or additions to the Agri-Environmental Sciences Degree that will enable Teagasc to issue letters of equivalence for stamp duty relief and installation aid.

I would suggest that any individual with concerns about this Degree contacts UCD to determine, firstly, if the options/electives he has completed meet the above requirements and, secondly, what additional option/electives he must undertake in order to meet the qualification requirements for stamp duty relief and installation aid. Otherwise the general position is that an Agri-Environmental Sciences degree holder is treated as holding a non-agricultural award and may be required to complete the new FETAC Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture course programme with Teagasc in order to meet the qualification requirements.