Teagasc, the semi-state agricultural research and advisory body, is one of the largest claimants of direct payments in Ireland.

Though it does not hold the single largest payment, Teagasc received €521,400 in direct payments in 2020 from across 12 different farms.

The independent agricultural colleges of Gurteen Agricultural College in Tipperary and the Salesian Agricultural College in Co Limerick received payments of €87,500 and €90,300, respectively.

Meat processing

Farms linked to the meat processing sector are in receipt of considerable direct payments also.

Two farms in Co Louth associated with Larry Goodman and member of his family, Glydee Farms and Branganstown Farms, received payments totalling €415,000.

Kepak Farm in Co Meath run by the Kepak Group received a payment of €114,900.

Two other farms, Athleague Meats and Clonee Meats, both with a registered address of the Kepak Group in Clonee Co Meath, received payments worth €47,600 and €50,600, respectively.

John and Peter Queally, who along with Dan Browne set up Dawn Meats, received a payment of €176,500.

Frank Mallon, owner of Liffey Meats, was in receipt of a payment worth €112,000 for a farm in Co Meath.

Godolphin Ireland UC, the stud farm founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in Co Kildare received a payment of €222,300.

Derrinstown Stud, another stud farm in Co Kildare has a direct payment of €103,100. The Irish National Stud, also in Kildare, claimed a payment of €44,900.