Relevant Matter
Matters involving public funds
Public Policy Area
Environment
Period
1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025
Specific Details
Measures to Support Climate Action on Farms
Intended results
To propose:
• Grant aid from the Climate and Nature fund to be made available from 2026 to all farmers with 70% grant aid for manure/slurry storage facilities.
• Slurry separation equipment grant aided by 70% to assist in reduction of storage capacity requirements on farm.
• Future funding of grant aid for on-farm solar investments should be funded through this fund at a rate of 70%.
• Future funding of grant aid for on-farm anaerobic digestion (AD) to be funded through these funds at a rate of 70%.
• Grant aid to farmers to plan and install wind generation facilities on farm
• Grant aid and Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA) schemes should be introduced to support the adoption of targeted interventions, enabling farmers to achieve higher environmental standards that would benefit the entire country.
• A dedicated 'Watercourse Fencing scheme' should be created, financing 100% of the cost of fencing adjoining watercourses on Natura 2000 sites and 75% of the cost on all other lands.
• The provision (free of charge) of a bespoke Rainwater & Nutrient Management Plan to all farmers nationally, alongside one-to-one consultation with a suitably qualified professional on-farm.
• A dedicated 60% grant-aid ‘Nature & Nutrient Management Scheme', open 2026-2030, and available to farmers not eligible for TAMS and/or including items not currently in scope for TAMS grant-aid (e.g. ‘dribble bars').
• A new 'Farming for Habitat and Farming for Species' payment needs to be introduced to maximise environmental gain and compensate farmers who suffered a loss in income from EIP projects such as the Hen Harrier, Pearl Mussel, and Burren Schemes. Hill / Designated areas should also be eligible for this payment.
• The reintroduction of the NPWS Farm Plan Scheme has been a positive development. However, greater funding is needed to increase its awareness and expand the number of farm plans on the scheme. An Enhanced Farm Plan Scheme should be created to cater for all farmers with designations, with increased payment rates to reflect the additional costs and burden on farmers whose land is designated.
Additionally, increased resources should be allocated to ensure the timely and efficient delivery of payments to farmers.
To oppose any further designations of farmland and additional restrictions on existing designated lands until current designations have been adequately compensated for and existing system inefficiencies redressed. Proactive engagement must occur with impacted landowners, with the right of appeal provided.
That addressing threats from predators and increased recreational activity requires a targeted and comprehensive approach within the National Biodiversity Action Plan. In collaboration with relevant NPWS stakeholders, the financing of an ‘Active Predator Management' scheme should be established.
That a new 'Historic Hedgerow Rejuvenation Scheme' to be implemented, along with 'Beehive keeping', to support the reseeding of back hedgerows that have been lost or incomplete, and to increase habitat for flora and fauna to prosper.
That maintaining open and transparent communication with farmers throughout every stage of the plan's implementation is paramount to its success
• Allocate necessary funding to swiftly obtain necessary Tier 3 carbon emissions and sequestration data rather than relying on EU equivalents, which may not fully represent Irish production systems. The over-estimation of emissions from grassland peat soils (and the LULUCF sector more broadly) by 5.1Mt CO?e per annum2 (from 9Mt to 3.9Mt, equating to approximately 7.5% of the total national emissions from all sectors as previously estimated) being a case in point.
• Carbon sequestration solutions enhance climate action and, if implemented correctly, bring incentives and additional income potential to landowners. The importance of soil carbon sequestration must be considered when calculating carbon balances.
The proposed additionality requirement that farmers would only be eligible for a carbon payment for new actions or measures implemented to remove carbon is viewed negatively by farmers, as it (i) does not value the existing carbon reservoir in soils s and or hedgerows on farms and (ii) penalises earlier adopters of practices that have improved carbon removals and prevents them from earning payments. Carbon markets must enable real market possibilities for farmers and foresters.
Funding should be provided for establishing a carbon credit verification agency and/or mechanism to derive supplemental, sustainable, diversified farm income streams.
• The restriction on TAMS grants for solar energy should be removed if the energy requirement on the farm is met. Often, farms with low overall energy requirements may have large amounts of shed space, presenting an opportunity for these farmers to contribute to renewable energy production.
• Farmers who receive grant aid (including TAMS) to support the installation of renewable energy sources should be allowed to sell any surplus electricity generated after domestic/business consumption, in full, onto the national grid and receive an income for the same (in arrears if required).
• Farmers who generate surplus electricity should be allowed to export it onto the national grid via a smart meter and then be allowed the same amount as an offset back to them, as required, with no financial transaction necessary.
Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity
Francie Gorman IFA President, Bill O'Keeffe IFA Farm Business Chair, John Curran IFA Rural Development Chair, Robert Malone IFA Senior Policy Executive, Shane Whelan IFA Senior 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 Senators
Submission All Senators
Lobbying activity
The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.
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.
Brian Brennan
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Brian Purcell
Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture and the Marine)
Christopher O'Sullivan
Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)
Emer Higgins
Minister of State (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)
Helen McEntee
Minister (Department of Education)
James Browne
Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill
Minister (Department of Health)
Malcolm Byrne
TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)
Martin Heydon
Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Michael Healy-Rae
Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Michael Moynihan
Minister of State (Department of Education)
Noel Grealish
Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)
Paschal Donohoe
Minister (Department of Finance)
Peter Burke
Minister (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)
Sean Canney
Minister of State (Department of Transport)