Dairy farmers have this week been receiving a flat-rate payment of €1,395. The payment comes from the direct aid package put together by the European Commission to support dairy and pig farmers after a tough year.

The Commission issued Ireland with €13.7m, which the Irish Exchequer matched with €13.7m of its own money.

Young dairy farmers, who meet the eligibility criteria, qualify for a further €800 top-up on the €1,395.

ADVERTISEMENT

A total of €1m has been set aside to support the Irish pig sector. It remains unclear as to how that money will be distributed. Pig farmers are hoping individual farmers will receive a flat-rate payment similar to dairy farmers.

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that discussions are ongoing with the possibility of linking the payment to farm output.

The Department said it is “engaging with stakeholders on the mechanism for the distribution of the payment for the pig sector and will make a final decision in early January”.