The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 19 Sep, 2025

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Finance

Period 1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025

Specific Details Animal Health - Measures to Support Farm Enterprises

Intended results To propose that, as farmers in Ireland continue to lead in advancing the high health and welfare status of the animals under our care. The broader Agri sector benefits enormously from the investment and work of farmers in this area. There must be a more inclusive distribution of costs for animal health and welfare actions on farms to reflect all beneficiaries of the actions farmers undertake. To propose that measures to bring Bovine TB under control, along with the associated financial support for the impact of controls on farms, will require significant human and financial resource commitments from the Government for the programme. To propose that, with the ever-increasing threat of exotic diseases entering the country causing a very real concern for Irish farmers and the Agri sector. A coordinated and funded plan must be developed in advance, should diseases such as BTV or FMD enter the country, to minimise the impacts and protect farmers from any associated losses. To propose that, while Irish farmers have embraced the challenge of reducing AMR, they require more support and better access to critical tools in this area from Government. Enhanced services to farmers from the RVL network, guaranteed supplies of vaccines, and reduced costs are key elements that the Government can and must deliver on.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Francie Gorman IFA President, TJ Maher IFA Animal Health Chair, Tomas Bourke IFA Senior Policy Executive, Donal Callaghan IFA 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.

Email (11-20)

Meeting (2-5)

Social Media (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.

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)

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)

James Browne Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)