The Government must act now to fix the issue where genuinely farmed land is included in the residential zoned land tax, according to Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) president Tim Cullinan.

The IFA raised the matter at the national economic dialogue in Dublin on Monday.

“It was encouraging to hear a number of Government ministers confirm to the IFA that this issue will need to be fixed, confirming what An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said in the Dáil on 9 May last,” he said.

The IFA president argued that the Government should bring forward the required changes to this legislation as soon as possible.

Stress

"Many farmers are very worried about the impact this tax may have on their farm and family and it is not fair for them to have to continue under this level of stress any longer," he said.

IFA farm business chair Rose Mary McDonagh said that the IFA is ready to meet and work with the Government to find an equitable solution to this issue.

“From IFA analysis, using the average price of zoned land outside of Dublin, farmers could face a tax of over €2,600/ac per year under the current legislation, which is totally unfair and unequitable.

"The means of identifying genuinely farmed land are available and must be used,” she concluded.