Tax group points out inconsistency in greenhouse gas taxes as farms escape cost
It also notes that the tax – intended to discourage use of fossil fuels as the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions – is not applied to the other primary source, methane.
'It should be noted that the vast majority of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture (ie methane) are not subject to any environmental tax,' the group says in analysis presented to ministers.
Farmers did have to pay carbon tax on fuel for agricultural vehicles but it was at a reduced rate, it said.
'Marked gas oil' - as agricultural diesel is categorised – currently costs 48 cents less per litre than regular diesel, it said.
'Farmers continue to be eligible for a double income tax relief,' the group said.
'A farmer may take an income tax or corporation tax deduction for farm diesel and then a further deduction for farm diesel which is equal to the difference between the carbon tax charged and the carbon tax that would have been charged had it been calculated at 2012 levels.'
The tax paper also highlights different environmental taxes in other EU countries, including a new tax on livestock emissions announced in Denmark.
Danish farmers will pay a tax of €40 per tonne of livestock methane emissions from 2030 which will increase to €100 by 2035.
Revenues will help finance what the Danish parliament has described as the 'reorganisation' of the landscape with more focus on forestry and natural spaces.
The Tax Strategy Group make no recommendations based on the proposal but flag research recently undertaken in Ireland around similar ideas.
'The Pathways project, funded by the European Climate Foundation, in partnership with the Institute of International & European Affairs, has published a series of papers on the future of the Irish Agri-food sector,' it says.
'Their paper on 'Agricultural Climate Policy in Ireland from 2030 to Net Zero' recommends Ireland establish an independent Emissions Pricing Design Commission, modelled on Denmark's expert group, to assess the feasibility and design of emissions pricing in Ireland's agricultural sector.'
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