Next year’s budget includes a much-awaited increase in the funds allocated to the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) scheme.

An additional €25m for the ANC and an additional €20m for the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) are included in Budget 2018.

This means the commitment made in the Programme for Government following the 2016 election will be honoured. While the details of how the additional €25m will be administered are not yet available, up to 100,000 farmers in the scheme could benefit from increased payments next year. If it were divided equally among the applicants, it works out at €250 for each applicant.