Longford Farming: Differences in Government on residential zoned Land Tax

IFA Farm Business chair Bill O'Keeffe said the different stances by the two main Government parties on the Residential Zoned Land Tax is adding to the anxiety among farmers.

“Fine Gael supported a motion for its removal, yet 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.

Reiterating his call on the Government to remove all actively farmed land from the residential zoned land tax (RZLT), Bill O’Keeffe said the tax could be viewed 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 Minister for Finance Jack Chambers has it within his powers to exempt farmland from RZLT in the upcoming Budget 2025 and subsequent Finance Act.

IFA is calling on the Minister to announce this exemption before Budget 2025 to alleviate the fear and anxiety felt by many farmers who have farmland that falls under residential zoning development plans.