Relevant Matter
Matters involving public funds
Public Policy Area
Agriculture
Period
1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025
Specific Details
Budget 2026 - Meeting with Minister for Finance and Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform
Intended results
To focus on two pillars of the IFA Budget 2026 Submission; Expenditure and taxation measures, and what can be done to offset the cost of doing business.
To highlight the need for additional support for vulnerable sectors, in particular tillage, an increased Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) Budget; and an increased ANC Budget.
To highlight that a package for the tillage sector is urgently needed to prevent the perilous situation that the tillage sector is in, with morale at an all-time low.
That the budget for the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) must be increased to meet the demand that exists across a range of sectors. Inflation is running far ahead of the reference costs; this has to be adjusted and a mechanism developed that tracks the rising price of materials.
To highlight that the potential for energy from farms must be harnessed through the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund.
To seek prioritisation of the renewal of existing tax reliefs, a permanent exemption for actively farmed land from RZLT; and Agricultural Relief tax that encourages generational renewal.
To reinforce the central role that Agricultural Relief has in promoting the next generation farming full time.
To raise the issue of the 'forgotten farmer'. A more ambitious long established Young Farmer Scheme must be delivered that caters for all eligible farmers, including those starting out in 2008 and thereafter. The support must be a lest equivalent to what they would have received under the Installation Aid.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Francie Gorman IFA President, Bill O'Keeffe IFA Farm Business Chair
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
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
Informal communication (2-5)
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.
Deborah Sweeney
Special Adviser (Department of Finance)
Jack Chambers
Minister (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)
Paschal Donohoe
Minister (Department of Finance)
Sam Griffin
Adviser to Minister (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)