The drafting of a new Land Bill which will facilitate the buy-out of land annuities and transfer of land for sporting and community purposes has been given the go-ahead by the Government.
The announcement was made yesterday by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food, Mr Liam Aylward.
Mr Aylward said that the Bill would provide for a number of amendments to the Land Acts arising from the dissolution of the Land Commission in 1998
He said it would also facilitate a smooth transfer of ownership of land to the people who actually use the land.
He said there are currently nearly 7,000 farmers paying land annuities.
Many others benefit from the use of former Land Commission lands, such as sports clubs and community groups.
Among the proposals approved by the Government is a scheme to allow farmers buy out their existing land annuities at a discount of 25 per cent, subject to all outstanding arrears being paid in full.
It was also intended that the discounted buy-out scheme will be available for a limited period following the enactment of the Bill, said the Minister.
He said the package also included a proposal to charge interest on arrears at Prompt Payment Act rates, where annuities are not paid on time following the closure of the discounted buy-out scheme.
A further proposal is to allow the Minister for Agriculture and Food to arrange the transfer of title of former Land Commission trust property at the request of the trustees.
Mr Aylward said this would remove the legal and financial burdens placed on trustees, and would facilitate the transfer of land used by sports clubs and community groups to such organisations.
He said it was hoped that this provision would remove some of the bureaucracy involved in developing these lands and would result in better facilities and grounds around the country.
In a statement issued yesterday, he said the Bill would remove the necessity of the Minister's consent for non-nationals buying agricultural land in the State.
"The section has been amended several times to make it consistent with our European obligations. With further enlargement of the European Union and a history of not refusing consent, the section imposes unnecessary red tape and possible additional costs for those buying or selling land," said the statement.
He said the proposed Bill would meet one of the commitments obtained by the farming groups in the Sustaining Progress Agreement.