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Some 1,687 farmers or landowners sought to avoid paying the residential zoned land tax (RZLT), according to the Department of Housing.
Within that, 198 landowners sought to have their land’s zoning amended. The 1,687 requests came ahead of the 1 January 2023 deadline and local authorities had to reply with an acceptance or rejection letter before 1 April.
Some farmers have been successful in their request.
However, many farmers have not had their requests accepted, according to IFA farm business chair Rose Mary McDonagh. She confirmed the IFA continues to receive contact from farmers still left facing an annual tax bill at 3% of the market value of their zoned land.
Farmers whose zoning amendment requests were rejected have until 1 May to lodge an appeal to An Bord Pleanála. New supplementary maps of the entire country will also be published on 1 May and it is possible that in these, a farmer’s land could be included as zoned for the first time.
McDonagh suggested farmers remain vigilant to ensure their land is not made eligible.
“The bottom line is that farmland should be exempt, it’s as simple as that. Farmers’ land is not lying idle,” she said.
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