Government Should Release Fuel Support Funds Immediately – IFA

The Irish Farmers’ Association has called on the Government to make an immediate supplementary payment under the Fuel Scheme for green (agri) diesel.

IFA President Francie Gorman said the Government must act now. “A fund of €85m was put in place in April to provide support to farmers and contractors to alleviate some of the cost burden caused by increases in the price of green diesel. The majority of this fund remains unspent, and the Government must act now and release these funds directly to farmers and contractors that are facing record fuel prices,” he said.

“We cannot wait for the Budget in October. The money is there. It must be paid out to farmers and contractors now,” he said.

IFA Farm Business Chair Bill O’Keeffe said the continued volatility in energy markets, resulting in escalating fuel prices, is placing an intolerable financial burden on farmers and agri contractors. Green diesel has risen by approximately 20c per litre in the past two weeks, to €1.73cpl today, and rising.

“This is an 86% increase in the price of green diesel compared with the price in February of this year, before the conflict in the Middle East,” he said. 

“Green diesel is a fundamental input across all farming systems and for agricultural contractors. The unprecedented increase in green diesel is driving up the cost of every operation on farms, from grass and maize silage harvesting to slurry spreading and tillage autumn cultivation,” he said. 

Bill O’Keeffe warned that without immediate intervention, the viability of some of our tillage farmers and agri contractors in particular will be further undermined. 

“The funds are already available. The Government should act now,” he said.