Bord Bia to get €60m in budget - Minister Grealish

Bord Bia is to receive just over €60m for food promotion and new market development from the Budget 2026, Minister of State with responsibility for food promotion, new markets and research and development Noel Grealish has confirmed.

“This funding will support the promotional work carried out by Bord Bia in continuing to further develop existing and new market opportunities at home and abroad,” he said.

“While the global trading environment remains unpredictable, the funding provided in Budget 2026 will also support further market diversification, trade promotion and actions to ensure Ireland’s food sector remains competitive globally.”

Minister Grealish said research and development funding is “future-proofing agri-food as our largest indigenous sector, and one which is of vital importance to our rural economies and communities”.

“It will also contribute to helping us achieve a wide range of policy and legislative goals, especially in the area of sustainability," he added.

Methane

He highlighted the Department of Agriculture’s funding for research into the potential for feed additives to reduce methane emissions and for algal-based bio-stimulants to reduce the amount of chemical fertiliser in grass swards, in turn reducing emissions of nitrous oxide, with no negative effect on grass yield of quality.

“These are examples of important research this Department has funded. Budget 2026 will allow us to build on these types of findings and further improve the sustainability of Irish agriculture and food production," he said.

“Budget 2026 will also include funding for the two Shared Island bioeconomy demonstration projects that Government announced recently. The €9m million committed to these projects from the Shared Island initiative, my own Department and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Northern Ireland will support work in the areas of recycling phosphates and nitrogen from agricultural residues and developing marine-based biorefineries for the circular blue bioeconomy,” he added.