“The Minister of State, Deputy Daly, is working very hard on it. We are nearing a resolution,” An Taoiseach said.

Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Jim Daly discussed a proposed three-year cap on charges to farm assets under the Fair Deal scheme with farming organisations last month. Farmers are currently liable to pay 7.5% of the value of their farm every year as long as they stay in a nursing home, with a three-year limit applying only in restricted cases of sudden illness.

Attorney General advice

An Taoiseach Varadkar warned that the issue “has not yet been resolved” and a solution has yet to receive Government approval. Following the referral of proposed changes to the Attorney General, he clarified that “it does not require the approval of the Attorney General” but the Government would take advice from the legal officer.

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that the proposal for a three-year cap covers all productive assets of small business and not only farms, which is intended to remove the legal risk of discrimination between applicants to the Fair Deal scheme.

An Taoiseach was answering a question from Sinn Féin TD Carol Nolan, who welcomed the proposed three-year cap but commented that “all the previous indications from the Minister, that this issue would be addressed in Budget 2018, are clearly not going to come to pass”.

She called for a clear time frame for the implementation of the changes.

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