Differences in Government on Residential Zoned Land Tax Adding to Farmers’ Anxiety
IFA Farm Business chair Bill O’ Keefe said the different stances being taken by Government parties on the Residential Zoned Land Tax is adding to the anxiety among farmers.
“Last week, Fine Gael supported a motion for its removal, yet this week Fianna Fáil is refusing to address the issue. Surely, they recognise how unfair and unjust this tax is. Farmers who wish to continue to farm their land could be forced to sell land because they cannot afford to pay this tax,” he said.
Mr. O’Keefe reiterated his call to the Government to remove farmland from the Residential Zoned Land Tax. He said the tax could be seen as a cynical attempt to force the hand of landowners.
“To saddle genuine farmers with huge tax bills in an attempt to be seen to solve the housing crisis is very cynical,” he said.
The IFA is calling Minister for Finance Jack Chambers to announce the exemption of all actively farmed land from the Residential Zoned Land Tax before the Budget 2025 and the subsequent Finance Act. This exemption announcement would alleviate the fear being felt by farmers who are farming land that falls under the residential zoning development plans.
