The State should buy up land to lease to farmers

I don’t know of a more condemnatory term in the lexicon of Irish history than landlord. Yet the reality is that many farmers today are in effect landlords, renting or leasing land to others.

The Government is anxious to encourage longer term leasing of land. Why not go further and buy up land and lease it to young farmers on an active “ life-time” basis with compensation for investment and with a clear understanding the tenant will never be able to own it. What better investment for the State than the land of Ireland?

As our society changes and the choices for the children of farmers expand I would imagine that land sales will increase and one can think of other carrots and perhaps sticks to make land available.