Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 27 Feb 2002

Vol. 549 No. 4

Written Answers. - Land Annuities.

Seymour Crawford

Question:

153 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the number of farmers who pay land annuity; the numbers of these who are in arrears; the number of these arrears cases which have been brought to court or given to debt collection agencies; the number of the farmers who are paying less than ?100 per year; his views on whether in some individual cases, undue pressure is being placed on small family farms; his proposals such as those which were provided in 1992 and 1993; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7067/02]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

There are currently just over 6,500 farmers who have land annuity commitments amounting to €2.1 million annually. Some 4,600 of these annuitants have current arrears totalling approximately €5.3 million. To date no arrears cases have been brought to court. In order to reduce the amount of arrears, 216 accounts with long-standing arrears were referred to a debt collection agency. Approximately 3,000 annuitants have annual repayments of less than €100. The need for measures such as those provided in 1992 and 1993 is reviewed by my Department from time to time.

In carrying out such reviews particular attention is paid to the impact such schemes would have on the Exchequer and on farmers with current land purchase annuities. In relation to the cases referred to a debt collection agency, the arrears involved have been outstanding for some time and little effort has been made by those involved in contacting my Department with a view to discharging the arrears outstanding. I am not aware of undue pressure being placed on small family farms.