Call for ghost land leasing

ALONG with ghost estates, Ireland has thousands of acres of ghost land, said Pfizer Animal Health Farm Forum speaker Gerard Buckley at last Saturday’s National Dairy Show in Millstreet.

The Coachford, Co Cork, dairy farmer proposed a dairy expansion scheme built around leasing of “ghost land”. Presenting a dairy farmer’s perspective on expanding the business, he said leasing costs €150 to 200 per year per acre, compared to €950 over 15 years, if buying land at €10,000 per acre.

Ten year leasing in his proposed scheme would give farmers security of tenure.