The IFA is holding an online farmer information meeting on current situation regarding the Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) as it claims most farmers who applied to their county council to have farmland dezoned from the tax had their appeals rejected.

Legal advice has been sought by the IFA and information on the options open to farmers hit with the tax will be provided at the online meeting, scheduled for Tuesday 25 April at 11am.

“There was an appeals process put in place,” the association’s farm business chair Rose Mary McDonagh said.

“Farmers could make a case to their local authority to be removed, but it appears most of these appeals, in relation to genuinely farmed land, were rejected.”

Legal advice

“We are receiving legal advice on this matter and the advice to all affected farmers at this stage is to appeal these decisions to An Bord Pleanála before the deadline specified on the appeal rejection letters.”

McDonagh invited TDs and county councillors to log onto the IFAs’ information meeting next week.

“I’m extending an invitation to all farmers and indeed political representatives, both local and national, to join this meeting,” she went on.

“This tax is unfair and unjust. IFA will continue to fight it. However, each farmer must do all they can, within the confines of the current legislation, to be excluded from this this penal tax.”

Farmers can register by clicking here.