Can You Buy Commonage?

mikefoxo

I live within a mile of some. Don't have a share of it currently. I'm guessing you would have to buy out an existing shareholder as opposed to having part of the whole divvied out to you? Just for kicks:)

Conmaicne Mara

Yes, you can. I bought most of mine. Someone would have to sell you their share, or part of their share but that may no longer be an option (in a payment sense, rather than ownership) I'm not sure. What had you in mind?

mikefoxo

Well with land at such crazy prices buying commonage seems like a cost effective way to get into farming. My dad has the old family farm close by but it's only 40 acres so in no way viable. The commonage is about 600 acres and (maybe I'm only dreaming here) I thought if I could slowly increase my share in it I could potentially make a go of it

Conmaicne Mara

First thing to do is find out if there's any stocking restrictions on it. What part of the world are you in?

mikefoxo

I'm on the Dublin/Wicklow border. Are there not restrictions on all commonages? I thought it came in only recently

Conmaicne Mara

Ah right, I don't know anyone over that side of the country. There were some farcical notions put forward there before Christmas, Commonage Framework Plan before that. Not completely up to date on what's in or out at the moment. If I were you I'd do some poking around IFA and Teagasc in your area.

mikefoxo

They just seem totally unworkable IMO. Thanks for the help. The neighbour is part of the local IFA so I haven't far to travel:)

Conmaicne Mara

That's because they are unworkable CAP could be very different also depending on how that goes. If it were me I'd find out the lay of the land on that bit of commonage, I'd also probably wait until CAP is sorted out, in terms of payments.