The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 18 Sep, 2025

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area EU Affairs

Period 1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025

Specific Details Key common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Post-2027 - Performance-Based Payments

Intended results • With the possibility of increased orientation toward performance-based payments in the next CAP, below are some lessons from the current CAP for consideration • Simplify performance-based payments. Alleviate the burden of proof/verification required to receive payments by relying more on self-declaration and/or other mechanisms (e.g. Geo-tagged photos; AMS; AIMS, etc). • A transitional period should apply to performance-related schemes, with a meaningful participation payment provided in Years 1 and 2 of the scheme, before the impact of any management-related actions takes effect from Year 3 onwards. This would enable paying agencies to design any necessary IT systems to administer efficiently, provide clarity to farmers regarding payments, and also allow both parties ample time and opportunity to ascertain baseline performance metrics and devise corrective strategies to maintain or advance them without unnecessary payment delays. • The probability of achieving a high score/performance rating should be at least equal to the likelihood of achieving a lower score/performance rating. No negative marking should apply, with a ‘0' being the lowest score. • Flexibility should be provided to paying agencies to adjust upwards assigned payment rates and/or individual contract commitments, in agreement with the scheme participant, where assumptions made in ringfencing related calculations prove materially different to that subsequently achieved nationally. • Practical support (advisory & financial via agreed environmental actions) should be universally available to all farmers in performance-related schemes, regardless of any categorisation applied within the scheme. The purpose ultimately is to improve baseline scores. New or additional bespoke measures beyond the list of prescribed measures should also be eligible for payment, where appropriate, to promote or enhance habitat and biodiversity in individual locations, as agreed upon in consultation with the Advisory Teams. • Farmers should be advised of the date that their lands/ actions are being monitored/assessed, and provided with the opportunity, should they so wish, to accompany the planner/consultant during the assessment to enable information sharing and corrective action to be relayed in real time. More broadly, an agreed-upon timeline is required for providing assessment outcomes to farmers upon completion. • Similar to mobile TAMS applications (subject, perhaps, to a maximum of €5,000 per application), permit applicants can progress with environmental actions at their own risk once valid applications have been submitted. Payments to follow on receipt of geo-tagged photo and vouched expenses. This will also enable environmental actions (agreed upon in advance with advisory teams) to be undertaken more quickly, allowing for greater environmental benefits and improved overall performance-related payments. • To minimise lost time, utilised resources, and constrained environmental action, the opportunity to amend minor infringements within individual applications should be permitted, rather than rejecting individual measures entirely. Approval on condition should also be considered. • Farmers need a reformed CAP that rewards active farming and productive land use, while supporting evidencebased environmental measures that complement output and efficiency. Financial supports that promotes the implementation of measures within the MACC curve should be provided.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Francie Gorman IFA President, Damian McDonald IFA Director General, Elaine Farrell IFA Director of Governance & Oireachtas Engagement, Tadhg Buckley IFA Director of Policy & Chief Economist, Liam MacHale IFA Director of European Affairs, Shane Whelan IFA Senior Policy Executive, Noel Banville IFA European Policy Executive

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Letter All TDs

Submission All TDs

Letter All MEPs

Submission All MEPs

Letter All Senators

Submission All Senators

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (2-5)

Email (6-10)

Social Media (2-5)

Meeting (1)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Aindrias Moynihan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin MEP (European Parliament)

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

Barry Cowen MEP (European Parliament)

Billy Kelleher MEP (European Parliament)

Ciaran Mullooly MEP (European Parliament)

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP (European Parliament)

Kathleen Funchion MEP (European Parliament)

Kieran O'Donnell Minister of State (Department of Health)

Luke Ming Flanagan MEP (European Parliament)

Lynn Boylan MEP (European Parliament)

Maria Walsh MEP (European Parliament)

Martin Heydon Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Michael McNamara MEP (European Parliament)

Michael Moynihan Minister of State (Department of Education)

Micheál Martin Taoiseach (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Nina Carberry MEP (European Parliament)

Noel Grealish Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Norma Foley Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)

Paul Daly Senator (Seanad)

Regina Doherty MEP (European Parliament)

Sean Canney Minister of State (Department of Transport)

Sean Kelly MEP (European Parliament)

Timmy Dooley Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)