The highest average Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme - Suckler (BEEP-S) payment across the country last year was seen in Waterford, where farmers achieved an average payment of €2,250.91.

The other counties that received the highest payments were also in the eastern half of the country.

These include Kilkenny, with an average payment of €2,151.29, followed by Carlow, Laois and Wexford where the average payment was above €2,000.

The average payment in Donegal was €966.82, which was the lowest of all other counties.

This was followed by Leitrim and Mayo, with both counties receiving average payments of just above €1,000.

The BEEP-S applications were highest in Connacht counties where they totalled 9,894 applications.

Galway was the county with the overall highest number of applications at 3,152, whereas Dublin only had 54 applications.

The BEEP-S scheme aims to increase the efficiency of Ireland’s suckler herd by improving the data that is collected about the herd in 2022.

The BEEP-S county breakdown figures were revealed by Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue in response to a parliamentary question from Sinn Féin’s Claire Kerrane TD.