The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 18 Jan, 2025

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Finance

Period 1 Sep, 2024 to 31 Dec, 2024

Specific Details Cost of Doing Business

Intended results To highlight the impact of global events such as Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine over the last seven years on the cost of doing business for farmers. To highlight that the average increase in costs across all sectors from 2017 - 2023 has been 73%. The most impacted sectors, dairy and tillage, incurred total cost increases of 86% and 106% respectively. To point out that, during the same time period, farm incomes have dropped by an average of 34%, these continued cost increases are unsustainable at farm level. To emphasise that the Irish farming sector has to compete in a global market while operating in a very high-cost economy where there is tighter and constantly increasing regulation which is not sustainable. To stress that, while costs have increased, turnover or total revenue has not kept pace which is one of the core reasons for the decline in farm incomes. Reduced output price is not the only reason for the reduction in turnover. Increasing regulatory requirements, which is reducing farmer productivity , is also leading to lower turnover. To highlight that, given the significant pressure on farm incomes, particularly among the vulnerable sectors, it is critical that the Government step up their support to the vulnerable sectors in Budget 2025 to ensure the survival of these sectors. To emphasise that it is also critical that any support schemes provided to small business do not exclude farmers. The most recent Cost of Business (COB) scheme announced as part of Budget 2024 effectively excluded farmers by its design. This is unfair as farm businesses are suffering from the same increased costs as the small businesses in other sectors of the Irish economy.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Francie Gorman IFA President, Tadhg Buckley IFA Director of Policy

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.

Email (1)

Informal communication (6-10)

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.

Aodhan O'Riordain MEP (European Parliament)

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

Barry Cowen MEP (European Parliament)

Billy Kelleher MEP (European Parliament)

Brian Leddin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Ciaran Mullooly MEP (European Parliament)

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP (European Parliament)

Denis O'Donovan Senator (Seanad)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe Flaherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Johnny Mythen TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Kathleen Funchion MEP (European Parliament)

Luke Ming Flanagan MEP (European Parliament)

Lynn Boylan MEP (European Parliament)

Maria Walsh MEP (European Parliament)

Martin Kenny TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Collins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Fitzmaurice TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael McNamara MEP (European Parliament)

Michael Ring TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Nina Carberry MEP (European Parliament)

Paul Daly Senator (Seanad)

Paul Kehoe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Regina Doherty MEP (European Parliament)

Sean Kelly MEP (European Parliament)

Tim Lombard Senator (Seanad)

Victor Boyhan Senator (Seanad)