asked the Minister for Local Government if he will give an assurance that the Government have no intention of withdrawing the agricultural grant for relief of rates for small farmers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Rates Relief.
2.
The present reliefs of rates on agricultural land are prescribed in the Rates on Agricultural Land (Relief) Act, 1976, which covers the two-year period up to 31st December, 1977. Any changes in the reliefs would require amending legislation, and the House would, therefore, have due notice of any intention on the part of the Government to introduce changes.
I take it from the reply that there is no intention of depriving people who are under the £50 limit? In my county they would be paying about £200 rates because the rates are more than £10 in the £. I am sure the Minister is aware that those people are not entitled to very high grants because the directives are biased against them. Is the Minister aware that if the £200 relief is taken from the small farmers they will have to go off the land completely and there is no employment in the industrial sector of which they might avail?
I am not aware of any intention to do what the Deputy has suggested.
Yesterday we had two replies on the same lines and I was glad to get them. May we take it that the Minister for Finance was talking through his hat?
The Deputy got a reply yesterday on why the statement was made. A suggestion was made that people should realise that if they want something it will be at the expense of something else and alternatives may have to be taken into consideration. I am not responsible for what the Minister for Finance says in a speech. The Deputy asked a question, he got a reply and he should be satisfied.
The Minister for Finance gave the impression that if there were to be cuts it would be the lower income group who would be affected. The people on whose behalf I asked this question are getting the least out of the present set-up.
I am not aware that anyone got that impression from the speech.
Is talking out loud synonymous with talking through one's hat?
Perhaps the Minister did not know what was happening.
Question No. 3 is for written answer.