Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar has told the Dáil that legislation in relation to the Fair Deal Scheme will be on the table “in a matter of weeks”.

Fianna Fáil TD Jackie Cahill, speaking today (Monday, November 30), said that legislation has been promised “for some time” that would make the Fair Deal Scheme accessible to families of small business owners and farm families.

The Tipperary TD said he received a commitment from Minister Varadkar in the Dáil that the legislation was imminent.

Cahill said he would be “following up on this” in the coming weeks, saying: “Families have been waiting for this legislation for a long time in order to make the ‘Fair Deal’ a lot fairer for families.

In response to Cahill’s question in the Dáil, Minister Varadkar said: “I am advised that the legislation will be ready by the end of December.”

The minister acknowledged that: “There is an unfairness in the Fair Deal Scheme with the way it treats farm assets and the assets of small businesses.”

Speaking after his exchange with Minister Varadkar, deputy Cahill said: “I am delighted to receive confirmation from the Tánaiste that the Fair Deal Scheme will see much needed reform in the coming weeks.

We have been waiting for this legislation for some time now, which will see the Fair Deal Scheme become a lot more accessible to farm families and families of small business owners.

“This increased fairness in this scheme is badly needed and I welcome this confirmation that I received,” he added.