Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 9 Dec 1987

Vol. 376 No. 6

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Holdings Classification.

8.

Mr. J. Higgins

asked the Minister for Finance if he will indicate for each local authority area (a) the total area of agricultural land assessed by the Farm Tax Act, 1986 (b) the average size in statute acres and in adjusted acres, of farmers assessed and (c) the range in sizes, in both statute acres and in adjusted acres, and the standard deviation between statute acres and adjusted acres for all land assessed under the Farm Tax Act, 1986.

74.

Mr. Deenihan

asked the Minister for Finance (a) the total number of agricultural holdings classified to date under the Farm Tax Act, 1986, and the numbers so classified for each county, (b) the average unadjusted total acreage of holdings classified in the State, and the average unadjusted total amount of holdings for each county, and (c) the mean and standard deviation, both at national and county level of the land adjustment coefficient, based on all holdings classified to date.

Mr. MacSharry

I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 74 together. I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement showing by county, the available information in respect of those holdings included in the classification list compiled by the Farm Tax Commissioner in the period ended 1 September 1986. The statement shows for each county the number of holdings classified, the gross acreage, the adjusted acreage and the adjusted acreage as a percentage of the gross acreage. I regret that the balance of the information requested is not available.

Agricultural Holdings Classified by the Farm Tax Commissioner Summary by County

Name of Local Authority Area	Number of Holdings	Gross Acreage	Adjusted Acreage	%
The County of Carlow	82	28,943	20,843	72
The County of Cavan	11	5,159	2,134	41
The County of Clare	13	8,313	2,856	34
The County of Cork	241	83,012	54,307	65
The County of Donegal	13	4,921	2,951	60
The County of Dublin	74	30,033	21,810	73
The County of Galway	28	17,790	7,806	44
The County of Kerry	10	5,432	2,925	54
The County of Kildare	215	80,862	59,860	74
The County of Kilkenny	136	48,620	34,802	72
The County of Laois	84	28,469	17,717	62
The County of Leitrim	Parts	499	150	30
The County of Limerick	69	27,312	17,043	62
The County of Longford	16	8,228	3,911	48
The County of Louth	74	26,085	18,646	71
The County of Mayo	15	6,201	2,851	46
The County of Meath	350	122,552	91,484	75
The County of Monaghan	7	3,324	1,616	49
The County of Offaly	71	27,871	16,302	58
The County of Roscommon	25	8,566	4,603	54
The County of Sligo	8	6,649	2,659	40
The County of Tipperary NR	55	21,137	11,859	56
The County of Tipperary SR	114	43,112	32,090	74
The County of Waterford	89	43,643	23,936	55
The County of Westmeath	89	38,217	21,253	56
The County of Wexford	170	60,404	40,038	66
The County of Wicklow	83	54,748	19,250	35
Total	2,142	840,102	535,702	64

Mr. J. Higgins

In view of the Minister's reply to the supplementary question from Deputy Deenihan on Question No. 2 I would again request the Minister to relent in relation to making available the information on the basis that what we are talking about is not specific confidential information. We are talking about a general slide rule of economic capacity which for non-assessed areas would provide a very valuable signpost without in any way divulging confidential minutiae, and it would seem somewhat of a shame to confine this information to the archives when it could be of general application in particular areas.

Mr. MacSharry

All I can say to the Deputy is that the information asked for in this question, in so far as it is available, has been given in the tabular statement.