• Bovine TB
• Water quality
• TAMS
• ACRES
• Tillage sector
• Livestock schemes
• Generational renewal - Agri taxation measures
• Research and development
• Fishing and seafood
• Forestry
• Knowledge transfer
• Organics

"Budget 2026 will provide very significant supports to farmers, fishers and foresters. I am determined to protect and grow Ireland’s agri-food sector and the significant contribution it makes to our rural and national economy."

"Budget 2026 provides for a 9% increase in funding when compared to 2025 and highlights the government’s strong commitment to the sector."

"I am delivering substantial supports to continue the growth and expansion of the agri-food, forestry and fisheries sector. In particular these Budget measures include substantial funding for my key priorities of reducing TB, maintaining the nitrates derogation, encouraging generational renewal, and supporting the tillage and livestock sectors.

"Within the National Development Plan, my department has received an increased allocation of €315 million next year. This significant capital investment will focus primarily on the TAMS capital investment scheme, research, forestry and fisheries sector. It will support greater efficiencies, enable modernisation and build on the recent progress across all areas. Both I and Ministers Grealish, Healy-Rae and Dooley have huge ambitions for these areas, and this investment will assist the farmers, foresters, fishers living in rural and coastal communities across the country."

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Bovine TB

"I am acutely aware of the emotional and financial impacts of bovine TB on farmers, their families and rural Ireland. I have secured an increased budget allocation of €85 million for TB in 2026, and this will result in a total budget of €157 million. This will allow the revamped TB programme to focus on tackling disease levels through the implementation of the measures laid out in the new TB Action Plan which I launched last month. It is vital we ultimately reduce the cost of this disease for all in the coming years. This allocation will support and enable farm families who are currently dealing with the stress of a TB outbreak to navigate a way out of a TB restriction and protect those herds currently free from TB from the stress of a TB outbreak.

"The recommendations in the TB Action Plan align with the Programme for Government commitments. This additional funding will be vital in addressing this disease and I am confident it will help drive down the incidences of bovine TB levels for future years which is one of my priorities as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

"This significant additional investment in the programme will support a wide range of impactful measures including additional targeted testing, additional resources for the wildlife programme and supporting on-farm biosecurity both through direct support to farmers for improving biosecurity infrastructure on their farms and facilitating more engagement between farmers and their private veterinary practitioners through Targeted Advisory Service on Animal Health (TASAH) visits."

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Water quality

"Improving water quality and securing an extension of Ireland’s nitrates derogation are a key government priority and I remain committed to supporting farmers to achieve these twin objectives.

"With this in mind, the Accelerated Capital Allowance (ACA) for Slurry Storage, a key agri-taxation measure, will be renewed. This allowance will continue to incentivise investment in slurry storage capacity, making an important contribution to the overall effort to secure the retention of the Nitrates Derogation. This relief is being renewed for four years rather than the normal three years, to provide additional certainty for farmers in planning their investments.

"Since 2015 over €153m has been provided to farm families supporting investments in manure storage and low emission slurry spreading technology under TAMS. There is massive work and investment underway across the agri-food sector to reduce its impact on water. In response to my invitation, the European Commissioner for the Environment, Jessika Roswall, will visit Ireland in November, and we will use that opportunity to demonstrate some of the investments being made by Irish farmers to improve water quality."

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TAMS

"I have allocated €88 million to the TAMS capital investment scheme for 2026. I am a huge believer in the positive impact of TAMS as it supports competitiveness on Irish farms, generational renewal, and important investments such as slurry storage that will be a critical component in supporting the case for the renewal of the Nitrates Derogation. There continues to be significant farmer demand for this scheme with over 6,100 applications to the most recent tranche and this increased allocation of €88m will require careful management."

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ACRES

"I am committed to restoring farmers confidence in ACRES and supporting the efforts of almost 54,000 farmers who are contributing to a range of environmental, biodiversity, climate and water quality objectives through the scheme. I have secured an increased allocation of €280 million for ACRES in 2026 to continue this work as well as providing payments which support farm viability."

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Tillage sector

"The tillage sector is a critical part of the agri-food sector producing high quality animal feed, bedding and ingredients for the food and drink industry. At a challenging time for the sector, I will be supporting the tillage sector in 2026 with funding of at least €50 million through the Protein Aid Scheme, the Straw Incorporation Measure and a Tillage Support Scheme. Having secured a funding allocation for this scheme, I intend to consult with stakeholders on its design and operation in due course. These measures will help support tillage farm incomes and provide a strong base to protect the future of tillage farming in Ireland."

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Livestock schemes

"Recognising the importance of the drystock sectors, I will be maintaining the existing overall allocation for the various livestock schemes which will amount to €131 million in 2026. These targeted supports for beef, sheep and suckler farmers will assist farm incomes and encourage positive actions on farm. I will also continue to fund the National Genotyping Programme to support my ambition of genotyping the entire national bovine herd."

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Generational renewal - Agri taxation measures

"The Commission on Generational Renewal in Farming recently submitted their report to me. I am very pleased that, following extensive engagement with my colleague Minister Donohoe, today’s Budget takes the first steps to addressing the Commission’s recommendations with a view to supporting the next generation of farmers."

"These are the immediate taxation measures I have agreed in response to the report by the Commission on Generational Renewal. An implementation team is being established in my department which will work on the recommendations of the Commission. While some recommendations are for consideration and progress in the context of the next CAP, others can be progressed in a shorter time frame."

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Research and development

"I am delighted to have secured a budget of €19.3 million for research in 2026. The Programme for Government committed to investing in research in the agri-food sector and I am pleased to be delivering on this. The allocation for 2026 will drive even greater innovation and development of new technologies for the agriculture, food, forestry and bioeconomy sectors."

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Fishing and seafood

"I am delighted to announce an allocation of €157.7 million in 2026 for the fishing and seafood sector. This funding will support the continued investment in our piers and harbours as well as provide investment for the seafood sector and services provided by our marine agencies."

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Forestry

"This funding will support and give further confidence to the forestry sector. I am optimistic that at least 3,000 hectares will be planted in 2026 with further lands being made available for planting by public bodies. To date this year, 2,258 are planted and paid for which compares to 1,500 hectares for the full 2024 calendar year. This funding will also support landowners who faced the unprecedented challenges of Storms Eowyn and Darragh in the form of a reconstitution scheme, as well as the continued challenges of ash dieback etc through our various supports."

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Knowledge transfer

"is delighted to be able to provide supports totalling €8.25 million to fund this important initiative."

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Organics

"Over the last five years (2021-2025), the number of farmers in the Organic Farming Scheme has increased by 221% to 5,500. I am allocating €58.6 m in Budget 2026 to provide for a continuation of financial support to these farmers and encourage the production of organic foods. This will also facilitate a targeted reopening of the scheme to farmers in the tillage sector."

"Budget 2026 will make a robust contribution to the future development and resilience of the agri-food, fisheries and forestry sectors. We have a strong economy which, thanks to the hard work of the Irish people, has weathered multiple crises. However, we are living through a time of economic uncertainty. It is essential we take every measure to protect jobs and livelihoods.

"This is the first of five Budgets this government will deliver; we will not achieve everything in one Budget, but Budget 2026 marks an important first step to sustain rural Ireland and help it thrive."