ICSA president Dermot Kelleher has described the government U-turn on the concrete levy as an acknowledgement that ICSA was right to strenuously oppose this misguided policy. “Imposing a 10% levy on concrete blocks and mixes was a bad idea from the start, particularly when government policy is to support farmers to increase slurry storage; not to mention the housing crisis,” he said.

Mr Kelleher said however that reducing the levy from 10% to 5% and delaying its introduction until September 2023 does not go far enough. “The only thing that makes sense is to scrap this levy entirely. It makes zero sense to penalise farmers looking to rise to the climate challenge or those needing to build or acquire a house because of defective blocks sold by certain companies. We are in the of middle of a cost-of-living crisis and nonsensical financial penalties on those who have done nothing wrong can have no place.”

ENDS