Minister Heydon announces the opening of Fuel Income Support Schemes for farmers and contractors
- Published on: 6 May 2026
- Last updated on: 6 May 2026
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, has today announced the opening of a Fuel Income Support Scheme.
Minister Heydon said:
“The Government recognises the exceptional pressure that the sudden increase in the cost of Marked Gas Oil (MGO) has placed on farmers, contractors and fishers, and in response has allocated funding of €100 million to provide meaningful income support for these sectors.
The fuel income support scheme for farmers and farm contractors will cover the months of March up to the end of July, which are a critical time in the agriculture calendar. It is a straightforward scheme aimed at those most impacted by the sudden increase in the cost of Marked Gas Oil.”
Eligibility for the scheme will be based on use of MGO for primary production of agricultural products on farm (including forestry) last year. Both farmers and farm and forestry contractors will be eligible to apply.
Applicants of the scheme will make a self-declaration of usage based on statements or receipts which will be subject to risk-based checks.
Farmers can apply online via My AgFood, and contractors can download the necessary forms from the Department’s website and submit completed forms and receipts to fuelsub@agriculture.gov.ie or to the postal address provided on the forms.
Under the scheme there will be one payment per applicant to cover a full five-month period rather than monthly payments. Applicants will be asked to supply their usage for the 12 months of 2025 based on receipted expenditure.
For agricultural and forestry contractors, the scheme will require that they must be registered for VAT, tax compliant and must supply services for primary production of agricultural products (including forestry) on farm.
Concluding, the Minister said:
“This support package is the culmination of intensive work with representative stakeholder groups in recent weeks and ensures that funding is directed where it is needed most, helping to sustain essential food production and rural economic activity.”
The scheme will remain open until Wednesday 27 May 2026 with payments to issue as soon as thereafter.
Applicants wishing to contact the Department regarding the Fuel Income Support Scheme, can ring the Direct Payments Helpline at 057-8674422 or email fuelsub@agriculture.gov.ie.
Details of the support scheme for fishers and aquaculture will be announced shortly.
ENDS
Notes to Editor:
Eligibility of farmers and agricultural and forestry contractors will be determined by:
- Be actively farming in 2025, or commenced actively farming in 2026
- Continue to actively farm in 2026
- In the case of contractors, be VAT registered and tax compliant and be carrying out agricultural contracting in primary production (including forestry) on farms.
Farmers can apply online via My AgFood with agricultural/forestry contractors applying via the paper application form available on the Department’s website.
The total payment each applicant will receive will be calculated once all claims have been submitted. However, it is anticipated that approximately 20 cents per litre of the estimated usage over a 5-month period will be the basis of the payment.
Both the assumed usage ratio and the cents per litre amount will be set to ensure that the total scheme budget is respected. These will be calculated once all applications have been received.
Under the scheme there will be one payment per applicant to cover a full five-month period rather than monthly payments. Applicants will be asked to supply their usage for the 12 months of 2025 based on receipted expenditure. The applicant will make a self-declaration of usage based on statements or receipts which they hold and which may be subject to risk-based checks.
For farm and forestry contractors, the scheme will require that they must be registered for VAT, tax compliant and must supply services for primary production of agricultural products (including forestry) on farm.