Next week's budget will define this Government's commitment to agriculture and Simon Coveney's tenure as Agriculture Minister, according to IFA president Eddie Downey.

There is strengthening conviction that the election will be next month, and with the rural vote crucial to the Government’s chances of re-election, an increase in spending from last year is expected.

The IFA is calling for a total of €580m of RDP funding to be fully allocated to farming in the budget, including €250m for AEOS and GLAS, €65m for BDGP, €15m for Knowledge Transfer, €40m for TAMS, and €25m for a new ewe payment.

Taxation targets include a tax credit for self-employed workers to mirror the PAYE tax allowance, a farm transfer incentive, and increasing the income averaging threshold for forestry felling.