With Budget 2027 taking place next Tuesday, Noel Bardon, Niamh Murphy and Hannah Furlong spoke to rural TDs about their key asks.

Independent Ireland TD Michael Fitzmaurice

“The carbon tax needs to be discontinued for the entire farm sector. There is no alternative to diesel for a 1,000hp harvester and if we are serious about reducing emissions, we should be taking all taxes off HVO.

ADVERTISEMENT

“The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes (TAMS III) budget needs to be topped up to take slurry storage and solar panels out of the points system.

“Tillage and horticulture are two sectors in dire need of supports and funding has to be allocated to livestock export sector to safeguard prices if changes are coming down the tracks.”

Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny

Martin Kenny, Sinn Féin TD for Sligo-Leitrim. \ Odhran Ducie

“Schemes like the Areas of Natural Constraints scheme where we can get money into farmers’ pockets without them having to do extra actions need to be prioritised.

“The 200% top-up to the fertiliser support scheme needs to be found as it is badly wanted and green diesel needs to be substantially reduced in cost.

“On longer-term issues like farm succession, there has to be real movement in Budget 2027, and some indications of what will be brought forward beyond this.”

Fine Gael TD Willie Aird

Willie Aird, Fine Gael TD for Laois.

“Budget 2027 must include an increased TAMS budget and a separate fund for environmental measures. We need supports to combat rising farm production costs, including supplementing the emergency EU fertiliser package with national funding and expanding support for agricultural diesel.

“Increase funding for the Beef Welfare Scheme, Sheep Welfare Scheme and Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme and protect the Areas of Natural Constraints payments.

“It is essential that Budget 2027 puts multi-annual support in place for the tillage sector."

Independent TD Carol Nolan

Carol Nolan, independent TD for offaly.

“In terms of schemes, I would like to see something like the old Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) scheme and more supports for young farmers.

“There is a huge issue with the solar farm grant - a lot of farmers feel they won’t get chosen because the criteria is so strict.

“The definition of what constitutes a young farmer needs to be looked at. A lot of schemes are bureaucratic and it’s unfair - they need to be more accessible.

“There has to be more to done to compensate farmers in a TB outbreak.”

Fianna Fáil TD Peter “Chap” Cleere

Fianna Fail TD for Carlow-Kilkenny Peter "Chap" Cleere.

“We know that the fuel income support scheme will be extended.

“The fertiliser support scheme, and what that will look like, is still in negotiation stage.

“It was a bruising summer in terms of the weather, we are campaigning hard for a fodder support scheme.

“The tillage support scheme has to go further than it has done in previous years, with either an amendment of an existing scheme or the introduction of a new scheme – we want additional funding available.”