asked the Minister for the Public Service if he will give details of the arrangements for the implementation of the land tax; the procedures through which Land Commission staff will carry out an examination of lands; if it will be necessary for Land Commission staff to move from their present location in order to carry out this work; the consultations that have taken place with the staff on this matter; and if he will outline the future plans for these staff following the proposed implementation of the land tax.
Written Answers. - Implementation of Land Tax.
610.
Preparation by the Minister for the Environment of legislation to give effect to the farm tax is at an advanced stage and will contain details of the institutional arrangements and procedures involved in its assessment and collection.
As already indicated in the national plan, tax liability will be related to the adjusted acreage of holdings which will be determined by an independent commissioner on the basis of criteria set out in the legislation. In so doing he will have available to him assessments of individual holdings compiled by his staff.
Land Commission inspectorate staff on temporary transfer from the Department of Agriculture will be assigned to carry out assessment work throughout the country. This exercise is expected to last for a period of five years.
In view of the duration of the exercise no firm decisions on the subsequent deployment of the serving inspectors has yet been taken. Because it would not be practical to service an intensive countrywide exercise exclusively from existing Land Commission offices, changes in the location of individual inspectors will arise.
Discussions, initiated in the past few months, with the staff interests involved under the scheme of conciliation and arbitration for the Civil Service are still in progress.