Unprecedented budget support for farming  

BUDGET 2025 provides a record €2billion in funding for the farming sector, including targeted measures for tillage, beef, sheep, and dairy farmers to ensure they are well-positioned to plan for the future.

“This reflects Fine Gael’s firm commitment to Irish agriculture, acknowledging the challenges farmers face while providing them with the support they need,” Clare Fine Gael General Election candidate Leonora Carey has said.

“A new tillage scheme will provide €100 per hectare on all sown ground in 2024, offering much-needed support to tillage farmers after a difficult few months. If we are to maintain and grow Ireland’s tillage area then we must support farmers who have battled difficult weather conditions over the last 12 months.

“We’re also delivering more support for suckler farmers, with National Beef Welfare Scheme payments rising from €50 to €75 per calf. Taken with the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Scheme, this will deliver payments of up to €225 per cow in 2025.

“Sheep farmers will also receive a boost, with payments increasing from €20 to €25 per ewe. 

“We will also increase funding under the Dairy Calf Welfare Scheme. Currently a payment of €20 per calf is available and this will be doubled to €40 per calf. I want to see these additional funds going to farmers who rear the calves,” Ms Carey added.

“Farmers will benefit from changes to inheritance tax thresholds secured by Fine Gael. This reform is particularly important for family farms, helping to ease the financial burden experienced by many Clare farmers passing farms from one generation to the next. 

We are also strengthening the protections around agricultural relief to ensure this support goes to genuine farmers, and not wealthy investors.” 

“Additional funds for the suckler, beef, sheep, and tillage sectors will complement the continued rollout of the CAP strategic plan as significant schemes such as ACRES and TAMS 3 continue to bed-in,” Ms Carey concluded.