DEAR SIR: I read Aidan Brennan’s article (Irish Farmers Journal, 3 July 2021, dairy management notes) with interest and some dismay.

I believe that it is incorrect to state that small, independent accountancy firms are not tax advisers or capable of providing specialist tax advice.

Many small independent accountancy firms have in-depth tax knowledge and provide expert tax-planning services when called upon to do so.

I would go further to state that many small firms are either carrying dedicated in-house tax advisers or have upskilled continuously post-qualification to such an extent that they are able to provide the specialist advice necessary.

Given their in-depth knowledge of their clients, they may be better placed to provide such advice than outside experts and, usually, in a more cost-effective manner.

On a final note, encouraging farmers to take their business to bigger firms is taking business out of the rural community and in turn makes it more difficult for those firms to attract, employ and retain staff in rural Ireland.