Donegal Senator and Sinn Féin Agriculture Spokesperson in the Seanad, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has called on Fianna Fáil to explain why they refused to support a vote to block the stamp duty on farming land in the Dáil last Tuesday following public comments by the party’s Agriculture Spokesperson Deputy Charlie McConalogue about the issue.
Senator Mac Lochlainn said: “Last Tuesday, Independent Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice called a vote on his amendment to the Budget Financial Resolutions in the Dáil that would have prevented an increase in stamp duty on farming land. Unfortunately Fianna Fáil refused to support this vote and Deputy Fitzmaurice’s amendment was lost and the stamp duty increases stand.
“Remarkably the Fianna Fáil Agriculture Spokesperson has now called on the Minister to meet farming organisations to address their concerns. This episode again exposes the farce of this “confidence and supply” arrangement between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael”.
“Let there be no doubt about it. This budget is a Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil budget. And Fianna Fáil needs to take responsibility for all that is in it. They obviously want to run with the hares and hunt with the hounds but Sinn Féin will call them out on this hypocrisy every time.
“My party will now be tabling an amendment at the Committee Stage of the Finance Bill to exempt farming land from this stamp duty increase. This will be another opportunity for Fianna Fáil to do the right thing and to block it.”
