Niall Collins
Ceist:117. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Finance when a relief from stamp duty will be available to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17499/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 24 April 2018
Ceisteanna (117)
Freagraí scríofa
The stamp duty relief to which the Deputy is referring was introduced in Finance Act 2017, and provides for a reduced rate of stamp duty on certain farm consolidation transactions. This measure is subject to a commencement order after a full consideration of any administrative or EU state-aid requirements.
For the relief to operate, there must be both a sale and a purchase of land within a period of 24 months of each other. Where other qualifying conditions are satisfied, stamp duty will be paid only to the extent that the value of the land that is purchased exceeds the value of the land that is sold. A reduced rate of 1% will be charged on the excess, if any, of the purchase value. If the sale takes place before the purchase, then relief will be given at the time of purchase. However, if the purchase takes place first, then stamp duty will have to be paid but can subsequently be refunded when the sale takes place.
A number of qualifying conditions must be satisfied before the relief can apply. The most important condition is that Teagasc must issue a certificate stating that a sale and purchase or an exchange of farmland was made for farm consolidation purposes. This is the certificate that is currently required in relation to the capital gains tax relief available on farm consolidations. The criteria to be used by Teagasc for this purpose and the information to be supplied to Teagasc are contained in guidelines published by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
A purchaser of farmland must retain ownership of the farmland for a period of five years and must use the land for farming. Where any part of the land is disposed of before the end of this five-year holding period, the stamp duty relieved can subsequently be recovered by Revenue, or partly recovered as appropriate.
The measure will apply to all transactions which took place after on or after 1 January 2018 and on or before 31 December 2020, so farmers who consolidate their holdings prior to the commencement of the relief, but within those dates, will still be eligible.
Consideration of the administrative and EU state-aid requirements arising is ongoing.