Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 March 2017
239. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to put a term limit on the number of years in a row a farmer can lease out entitlements to others, rewarding non-farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14308/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe EU Regulations governing the implementation of the Basic Payment Scheme do not permit Member States to place any limitations on the leasing of entitlements, such as the application of a term limit on the length of leases. In addition any such limitation would be contrary to existing Government policy, such as those contained in the Agri-taxation Review, which provides the granting of tax relief to include entitlements where a farmer leases both his land and entitlements. One of the qualifying criteria for the tax relief is the lease must be for a definite term of five years or more. Applying a limitation to the number of year’s entitlements may be leased, would undermine the extension of the tax relief to cover entitlements and therefore be contrary to existing policies aimed at supporting generational renewal in the agriculture sector.
