The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) is looking for Minister for Finance Michael McGrath to fully abolish the concrete levy announced in Budget 2023.
The association welcomed the Government’s move to abolish the levy on precast concrete products, but said that the move highlighted “the utter insanity of the levy in the first place”.
“When he finds out that there was no proper analysis and that somebody in his department just came up with a brainwave, he needs to demonstrate responsible leadership and abolish it altogether,” ICSA president Dermot Kelleher stated when urging Minister McGrath to relook the levy.
Policy
“All that has been achieved is to call into question whether government policy-making is rational or sane. By facing up to a grievous mistake, he can restore confidence in politics.
“The 5% concrete levy must be one of the most ill thought-out, farcical policy decisions ever made in a country where we urgently need more houses and where farmers are under pressure to add more slurry storage facilities.”
Kelleher claimed that the concrete levy shows that a rift has emerged between the thinking of civil servants and taxpayers evident across all policies.
“The disconnect between the civil servants who came up with this 'looney toon' idea and the reality of the people who will ultimately pay for it is stark,” he continued.
“The lack of real-world experience of politicians and civil servants who stand over this policy gives cause for serious concern about policy making in general.”
The ICSA president also commented that recent budgets have seen a “series of shock announcements” informed by “zero consultation”.
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