The Department of Finance is examining how educational and age criteria vary across the different incentive schemes and reliefs open to young trained farmers, eg stamp duty relief. This was noted in Tax Strategy Group papers published by the Department of Finance ahead of Budget 2021.

Development of new training courses for young farmers, and ending of older ones, makes administration of schemes difficult, the papers note. It might be more appropriate for the Department of Agriculture to maintain a list of courses, once these are approved by Teagasc.

Another option might be allowing young farmers self-certify that they have completed training, with monitoring by Teagasc to ensure this was not abused.

Similar discrepancies have arisen in cut-off age limits for various young farmer reliefs and schemes, the strategy paper noted. The Department of Finance will provide any necessary legislative and administrative changes for the Finance Bill 2021 next spring.