Minister for Justice and local TD Charlie Flanagan acknowledged “a difficult year for applications” to the Government’s energy-saving dairy grant at a farm walk in Co Offaly on Friday.

With farmers facing increased costs from fodder shortages, only 65 have successfully applied for the supports available from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland since May to upgrade their vacuum pumps with energy-efficient technologies.

Although Minister Flanagan said numbers had picked up in the past month, they remain on a par with those of last year’s much less publicised pilot scheme.

This is despite a €500 increase in the grant for single-phase systems used on smaller farms and more flexibility in accessing partial grants to retrofit existing parlours.

Minister Flanagan was speaking at the IFA Smart Farming open day focusing on soils and sustainability in Geashill.

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