The likely exclusion of active farmland from the Residential Zoned Land Tax is being welcomed by Tipperary TD Jackie Cahill.
The tax was expected to be included in the upcoming budget but has apparently been put on hold.
Farming groups had expressed strong opposition to the move saying it would effectively force farmers to sell land.
Deputy Cahill says the deferral for 12 months is the sensible thing to do as he feels family farms should not be subject to such a tax.
“We’re going to need another couple of months to sort out the implications for the tax and how we allow these farmers to be exempt. We all want land for development but family farms around country towns and villages have to be exempt from this zoning tax.
The three Ministers (Minister Jack Chambers, Minister Darragh O’Brien and Minister Charlie McConalogue) are committed to getting a solution to this issue and the postponement for 12 months will allow us to work together to ensure that family farms are exempt from this residential land zoning tax.”
Jackie Cahill says the exclusion of family farms from the Residential Zoned Land Tax is a commitment from Fianna Fáil ahead of the General Election.
“Inside the next couple of months we will get the legislation necessary to ensure the Residential Land Zoning Tax can go ahead but active family farms will be excluded.
“So I look forward to working with the three Ministers to ensure that this happens in the next couple of months and again in the upcoming election it will be a commitment from Fianna Fáil that family farms will not be subject to this Residential Zoned Land Tax.”
