Fianna Fáil Senator Erin McGreehan has said that the €85 million in new measures for farmers secured as part of an additional €158 million in Budget 2025 by her party colleague, Minister Charlie McConalogue, is hugely welcome.
Senator McGreehan, who is standing for Fianna Fáil in Louth in the next General Election, said the increase in payment per ewe will make a big difference for farmers.
She said: “The funding secured by my colleague Minister McConalogue in Budget 2025 will provide significant support to farming communities and those working in these sectors.
“For sheep farmers, the payment of €8 per ewe under the National Sheep Welfare Scheme will increase by €5 to €13 per ewe. When combined with the €12 per ewe available under the CSP Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS), sheep farmers will receive €25 per ewe in 2025. This is a 150% increase in funding from €10 to €25 since Fianna Fáil entered government in 2020 and is by far the largest payment ever made to sheep farmers.
“There is a €100 per hectare payment for farmers that planted tillage and field grown food crops for harvest 2024 as declared on farmers 2024 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS). This is in addition to the Straw Incorporation Measure which will operate as normal next year.
“For dairy beef farmers the current payment per eligible calf will double from €20 to €40. For the beef sector, targeted supports have been increased in successive years through the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme and the National Beef Welfare Programme. Budget 2025 sees the payment per cow and calf increase from €200 this year to €225 in 2025.
“Fianna Fáil in government are focused on listening to farmers, acting on their concerns and being absolutely committed to continuing to help them meet the varied significant challenges across the sector and the measures secured in Budget 2025 are reflective of this.”
Some of the key agriculture measures in Budget 2025 include:
- €100 / hectare payment for all tillage and field grown crops.
- €25 / calf additional payment under the National Beef Welfare Scheme increasing payment per calf to €75 (bringing total payment per cow & calf to €225).
- €5 / ewe additional payment under the National Sheep Welfare Scheme increasing payment per ewe to €13 (bringing total scheme payment to €25 / ewe).
- €20 / calf extra for Dairy Beef Scheme, a doubling of the payment to €40 / calf.
- €10 million in additional funding for the Organics Sector – Scheme to re-open to new applicants.
- €10 million in additional measures for Animal Health, including targeted advice for farmers, as well as IBR and BVD.
- €5 million to open the Forgotten Farmers scheme.
- €60 million for ACRES bringing scheme funding to €260m in 2025.
- Funding supporting the seafood sector, including capital and non- capital totalling €177 million.
- Fisheries schemes to support small scale coastal fishing vessels, seafood processors, aquaculture projects and young fishers.
- RZLT: Active farmers can avail of an exemption from this tax by taking an option to de-zone their land.
- Income volatility: Commitment to introduce a tax measure to protect against volatility in Budget 2026.
- Capital Acquisitions Tax: Amendment to CAT relief to ensure that agricultural relief is only available to genuine farmers.
- Category A threshold (parent to child) increased from €335,000 to €400,000.
- Stock reliefs extended to the end of 2027.
- Accelerated capital allowanced extended to a range of new farm safety items.
- €320 million capital programme, including supports for Research & Development, Forestry, TAMS and the food processing sectors.
- €2.5 million for Farm Safety.
- €10 million for Straw Incorporation Measure.
- €1.5 million for Clover and €1.25 for Multi-Species measures.
- €6 million for Soil Sampling.
-ENDS-
For further information reach out to Erin McGreehan.
