asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that holders of agricultural land within urban areas did not benefit from the recent legislation to lessen the heavy burden of rates on other farmers; and if amending legislation will be introduced by any Minister of State to cover this anomaly.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rates on Agricultural Land in Urban Areas.
48.
While occupiers of agricultural land in urban areas do not receive the allowances provided under the Rates on Agricultural Land (Relief) Acts, agricultural land in these areas gets rate relief under other local government legislation and the recent amending Act dealing with the basis of distribution of the Agricultural Grant made no change in this arrangement. The introduction of legislation on the lines suggested by the Deputy is not contemplated.
Would the Minister, then, not agree that no improvement was effected by the recent legislation in the rate position of people in urban areas who own land used for agricultural purposes?
The recent legislation, as the Deputy is fully aware, dealt with agricultural land outside urban areas, so that the question of its giving any benefit to land within urban areas could not possibly arise.
Am I to take it that these people are to be left without any improvement in their position in relation to rates? Is it taken that the Government, while accepting that one type of farmer has a grievance, have not accepted that another type of farmer has any at all?
I do not think any such deduction can be made.
In other words, they are being left out in the cold.
Could the Minister not accept that the reason the additional grant was introduced was that the burden of rates was too high and that these people in urban areas have got to put up with exactly the same high burden of rates and in very many cases a very much higher burden?
It is not related to the same back, just the same.
It is, exactly.
Will they accept revaluation?
The Minister accepts that it takes just as much to produce agricultural goods in an urban area, or rather more, as to produce outside urban areas?
That is argument, not a question.
There are many observations the Minister could make on that with which the Deputy might not agree.