O’Rourke: Land Bill a ‘double cross’
Minister Coughlan proposes a land annuity write-off for 4,500 landowners who owe €200 or less per annum.
She also proposes a scheme for the remaining 2,300 farmers paying larger annuities, to allow them buy-out annuities at a discount of 25%, subject to arrears being paid in full. She has urged farmers to partake of this offer, expected to be available for six months only early next year.
Her Land Bill 2004 has passed through all stages in Seanad Eireann, and the Minister was last week looking forward to bringing it before the Dáil at an early date.
But Pat O’Rourke said ICMSA is amazed by “a major sting in the proposal”, with the Minister seeking power to stop payments due to farmers - including EU payments - where there are outstanding annuities.
“In what is a very draconian measure, the Minister is also seeking power of attachment which will compel a third party, for example a co-op or a mart, to stop payments due to farmers and pass it on to the Department of Agriculture”, said O’Rourke.
“The ICMSA is amazed that the Minister is seeking such far-reaching and dangerous legislation for a relatively small group of farmers and would remind her that history has taught us many vivid and bitter lessons on the subjects of land and evictions.”
He said ICMSA finds it incredible that, in modern Ireland, any government could say that the powers of the sheriff are not adequate, and that additional powers are necessary to seize money due to farmers from third parties.
Calling on the Dáil to reject this measure outright, Mr O’Rourke questioned the right of the Minister under EU law to stop EU payments due to individual farmers.
He said there was not a single positive proposal in the bill to address the pressing problems of fragmentation of holdings, and the need for bigger, more efficient farms.
