Emer Currie
Question:398. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if his Department has conducted any assessment of potential tax measures to support young farmers to acquire land for farming. [15128/26]
View answerTuesday, 24 February 2026
Questions (398)
Written answers
There are a number of tax relief options currently available which support young farmers to acquire land for farming.
Young Trained Farmer (Stamp Duty) Relief
The Young Trained Farmer (Stamp Duty) relief, which is legislated for in Section 81AA of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999 (SDCA 1999), provides a full exemption from Stamp Duty (which would normally be charged at a rate of 7.5%) on the transfer of farmland, subject to certain conditions being met.
The core purpose of the relief is to promote lifetime transfers of land and encourage more young people to pursue farming. Both the Government and the EU strongly support these goals.
Finance Act 2025 extended the relief for a further 4 years to 31 December 2029.
Consanguinity Relief (Stamp Duty)
This relief is available where agricultural land is conveyed or transferred to certain close relations. The relevant relationships for this relief include: Lineal descendent (child, step-child, grandchild etc.), parent, step-parent or grandparent, husband, wife or civil partners, brother, sister, step-brother or step-sister, aunt or uncle and nephew or niece. Stamp duty at a reduced rate of 1% applies (usual rate is 7.5%).
The individual to whom the land is conveyed or transferred must, from the date of execution:
• farm the land for a period of not less than 6 years, or
• lease it for a period of not less than 6 years to an individual who will farm the land.
The person who farms the land or the person to whom the land is leased must:
• be the holder of (or, within a period of 4 years from the date of conveyance or transfer, become the holder) of a relevant agricultural qualification, or
• spend not less than 50% of their normal working time farming land (including land conveyed or transferred).
Other Stamp Duty Reliefs
There are other Stamp Duty reliefs which may apply to young farmers such as:
• Relief for certain leases of farmland (Section 81D SDCA 1999)
• Relief for the transfer of a site to a child (Section 83A SDCA 1999)
• Relief for certain family farm transfers (Section 83B of SDCA 1999) * Relief for commercial woodlands (Section 95 of SDCA 1999)
• Relief for the transfer of single farm payment entitlements (Section 101A SDCA 1999)
Tax credit for succession farm partnerships
The succession tax credit is an annual €5,000 tax credit for succession farm partnerships. It was introduced to encourage experienced farmers to form partnerships with young trained farmers and to transfer ownership of their farms to those young trained farmers. The credit is provided for by section 667D of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 , which was introduced by Finance Act 2015 and came into operation on 31 May 2017.
Young Trained Farmer Stock Relief
Section 667B Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provides for a scheme of enhanced stock relief at the rate of 100% for “qualifying farmers” (who are often referred to as young trained farmers).
CGT Retirement Relief
Section 599 TCA 1997 provides for relief from CGT on the transfer of qualifying business assets by individuals aged 55 years or more to that individual’s child. For individuals aged 70 or over, the relief is capped by reference to the disposal of assets with a market value of €3 million. The relief is often referred to as ‘retirement relief’, although there is no requirement for the individual to retire in order to avail of the relief. Assets that are eligible for the relief are assets used for the purpose of a business or farm trade carried on by an individual or the individual’s family company. The relief also applies to the transfer by an individual of shares in a trading or farming company that is the individual’s family company.
For the purposes of section 599 of the TCA 1997, the term “child” can (subject to conditions) include:
• a child of a deceased child,
• a nephew or niece who has worked substantially on a full-time basis for the period of five years ending with the disposal in carrying on, or assisting in the carrying on of, the trade, business, or profession concerned, or the work of, or connected with the office or employment concerned. This is known as Favourite Niece or Nephew relief, and
• a foster child (although not specifically referred to in the legislation as a foster child) where that child satisfies the conditions in terms of the residence, care and maintenance of that child for 5 years before the child attains the age of 18.
As you may be aware the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine published the report of the Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming in September 2025 which includes proposals for tax measures to support young farmers to acquire land for farming. Officials in my Department are currently reviewing and evaluating the recommendations in the report. Any changes to tax legislation in this area will be considered as part of the annual Budget and Finance Bill cycle.