Relevant Matter
Public policy or programme
Public Policy Area
EU Affairs
Period
1 May. 2026 to 31 Aug. 2026
Specific Details
Fertiliser Action Plan
Intended results
To highlight that IFA has been in consistent contact with both the Irish Department of Agriculture and the European Commission regarding fertiliser prices, largely due to the imposition of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on imported fertilisers into the EU from January 2026.
To emphasise that the conflict in the Middle East and sustained closure of the Strait of Hormuz have impacted the price situation even further for Irish farmers, who now face significant levels of inflation across various farm inputs.
To stress that IFA remains seriously concerned at the level of apathy within the European Commission regarding this issue, even though the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine has raised it at the Agri-Fish Council level.
To stress that the lack of short-term measures within the plan which could potentially help alleviate price pressures for farmers is glaring. CBAM is currently substantially inflating the price of nitrogen fertiliser; the lack of consideration of suspension of CBAM on fertiliser at a time of such rapid price inflation is incomprehensible.
To, once again, request the Minister for Agriculture, Fish, and the Marine to ask the European Commission to suspend CBAM to help rebalance the price of fertiliser in Europe.
To request the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine to communicate to the European Commission the need to urgently put forward their financial proposal for a modified and increased agricultural reserve which can be used to help cashflow on farms affected by the current crisis.
To highlight that the situation is particularly concerning for the tillage sector. Unless the sector is shown there will be assistance in balancing their fertiliser bill, there will be very little winter crops sown this Autumn given projected costs and returns.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Francie Gorman IFA President
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 (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.
Barry Cassidy
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Brian Purcell
Adviser to Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Martin Heydon
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)