IFA Rural Development Chair John Curran has called on Government to stop withdrawing key supports to farmers who are working to boost on-farm environmental sustainability and protect water quality.
“Farming is always in the spotlight when it comes to where we are on our environmental journey given its economic importance nationally. Recent EPA reports show that improvements are being made, but it’s not the time for Government to be diluting available supports. It’s strengthening what we have to build on the momentum that’s needed,” he said.
“The popular Liming Scheme has been discontinued without replacement. In recent weeks, both the Multispecies Sward scheme and the Red Clover Scheme, which were ‘under review’ per Budget 2026, have been removed from the 2026 BISS applications without notice.”
Yesterday we heard that Rank & Selection will be applied to Tranche 10 of TAMS, with lower ambition for key climate initiatives. Now only one in ten solar applications will be approved and support will be reduced to only on-farm consumption. Similarly, only one in ten Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) applications will be approved.
IFA Environment Chair John Murphy said “Of even more concern is the news that the Department now only plan to support 60% of grant applications under the Animal Welfare and Nutrient Management Scheme. This absolutely flies in the face of commitments this Government has given to help farmers put in additional slurry storage to help protect water quality”.
‘Given prevailing uncertainty and price pressures across many farm sectors, a hit to these supports will discourage farmers from undertaking key on-farm investments. It’s sending the wrong message,” he said.
“We have to support farmers who want to carry out investments in these key areas. Instead, the Department seems intent on doing the opposite. If their budget is being depleted, then other Departments, some of whom are getting the benefits from on-farm solar investments, need to pony up and fill the shortfall.”
“It can’t always fall back on the farmers that they aren’t doing enough, especially when political decisions are being made to erode key financial supports in this space,” John Curran concluded.
