ICMSA: Criticial tax measures for farmers must be retained
The chair of the association's farm business committee, Pat O'Brien, urged the government to renew three critical tax measures for farmers.
The Young Trained Farmer Stamp Duty Relief, Farm Consolidation Relief, and the Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA) for Slurry Storage are all set to expire at the end of 2025.
'These supports are not optional extras—they are essential tools for keeping family farms viable and encouraging future generations to stay in farming,' O'Brien said.
The ICMSA said that the Young Trained Farmer Relief has played a central role in reducing the financial burden of succession, while Farm Consolidation Relief helps address the ongoing issue of fragmented land holdings.
'We keep hearing about the need for generational renewal. These reliefs are practical ways to support that goal, and removing them would send completely the wrong message.
'Consolidation Relief is helping solve one of Irish farming's biggest structural problems – land fragmentation," O'Brien said.
"We are also calling for the Stamp Duty and Consolidation Reliefs to be placed on a permanent footing.
"ICMSA would argue that long-term planning by farm families is undermined by uncertainty around key supports, and that permanence would reflect the long-term nature of land management and succession," he added.
With planning exemptions due in Autumn, possible increases in slurry storage requirements, and pressure from the nitrate's regime, the ICMSA said many farmers are facing significant capital expenditure.
'Farmers are being asked to invest tens of thousands of euros just to stand still,' O'Brien said.
'They're not expanding or upgrading—they're complying with ever changing targets and limits. The ACA offers some financial respite and must be retained,' he said.
The ICMSA called on Minister of Finance Paschal Donohoe to "renew these key supports in Budget 2026".
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