Relevant Matter
Matters involving public funds
Public Policy Area
Finance
Period
1 Sep, 2018 to 31 Dec, 2018
Specific Details
Budget 2019
Intended results
To give IFA's reaction to Budget 2019
That the Budget was some acknowledgment of the income difficulties in agriculture, but the upcoming major issues of Brexit and CAP will require much more Government commitment and support for farming.
That the funding of €20m through a pilot scheme for suckler farmers was a recognition of the income crisis in the sector, but the level of funding was disappointing and more needed to be done to help sustain the suckler herd. It is essential the new measures are farmer friendly.
That the increased ANC funding of €22.7m, to bring the allocation to €250m, was positive and reverses the cuts imposed on the lowest income farmers in previous budgets. The IFA will continue its campaign for increased funding of €300m as it is vital for low-income farmers on marginal land.
That the €200 increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit to €1,350 does not go far enough. The Government continues to discriminate between employees and the self-employed in the income tax system. It is simply not right that a farmer earning €16,500 will be paying €300 a year more in income tax than a PAYE employee next year. The Government has reneged on a clear commitment in the Programme for Government that they would reach parity, of €1,650, by 2018.
That the Brexit loan scheme appears to be the same scheme announced in Budget 2018. IFA is sceptical about the merits of the new scheme as it is not available for working capital. Because the scheme is open to SMEs, it is questionable how much of it farmers will benefit from.
IFA welcomed the extra €2m for the Walks Scheme.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Joe Healy IFA President
Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?)
No
Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign?
No
Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client?
No
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Designated public officials lobbied
The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them.
As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.
Philip O’Callaghan
Special Adviser (Department of the Taoiseach)
Pat Deering
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Jackie Cahill
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Martin Kenny
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Willie Penrose
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Ian Marshall
Senator (Seanad)
Michelle Mulherin
Senator (Seanad)
Marcella Corcoran Kennedy
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Tim Lombard
Senator (Seanad)
Paul Daly
Senator (Seanad)
Thomas Pringle
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Charlie McConalogue
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Lower House of the Oireachtas)
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
Senator (Seanad)