Tánaiste Simon Harris has committed to action on fertiliser, fodder, and fuel supports in Budget 2027 but kept his cards close to his chest regarding the specific measures farmers can expect.

The Minister for Finance and Fine Gael leader spoke to Irish Farmers Journal editor Adam Woods at the Ploughing on Tuesday.

When asked about specific detail of the action his government will take to support farming families in next month’s budget, the Tánaiste said: “You’re asking me to hint at a direction of travel in the Budget?

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“[It’ll be] fertiliser, fodder, and fuel, from a domestic point of view, and then [we’ll be] working at a European level to get as good a CAP as possible.

“Everything is on the table.”

Fertiliser

He said a 200% or €30m top up to the fertiliser support scheme is being looked at “very seriously”.

“There is an ability in the scheme, at a European level, for us to top it up,” he said.

“Fertiliser is a real, real worry from a cost point of view.”

While he could give no tangible detail as to what fodder supports might come in Budget 2027, Tánaiste Harris said he understood that fodder supplies are a “particular challenge in some parts of the country”.

‘No one gets up earlier’

He said farmers and the wider agri-food industry are the backbone of the Irish economy.

“There’s no one who gets up earlier in Ireland than the farmer,” he said.

The Fine Gael leader added that when farming is supported, rural communities do better, and this is a priority of his.

When it comes to negotiating the new CAP budget, he said he is confident Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon is building sufficient alliances across Europe to push back against cuts.

The Tánaiste said he is meeting with European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss Ireland’s position on the CAP budget, with negotiations to continue from there.