Laois President of IFA insists 'frustration and anger' remains after fuel protests, but welcomes €100 m package

The €100 million relief package for farming is welcome, but the Government must do more to address “frustration and anger” in rural Ireland, according to the Laois President of the IFA.

In acknowledging measures announced by the Government yesterday as significant, Francie Gorman, IFA President, said farmers in Laois and elsewhere must guard against their “valid campaigns” being hijacked by people with agendas not related to agriculture.

The Ballinakill man made the comments in response to talks that took place against the nationwide fuel protests, which the IFA did not endorse, though many involved in farming took part in.

While he said the Government did not seek the agreement of the IFA, the package was in line with proposals already made by the association

“The €100m fuel support scheme is similar to a proposal made by IFA at our meeting with the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Simon Harris two weeks ago. It is vital that this scheme is user-friendly and flexible to ensure that those who need support get it quickly,” he stated.

He warned that the crisis in the Middle East remains extremely volatile with farmers and agri-contractors are under “huge financial pressure”. Because of this, he insisted that it must not be delayed by red tape.

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“The structure and rollout of this scheme must happen quickly, and the Department needs to ensure it is efficient and effective. The concern among farmers and agri-contractors now is that it will be overly bureaucratic and too slow,” he said.

He also spoke about the carbon tax and the decision not to impose the latest increase in May.

“The Government still needs to address the carbon tax in the next budget. The decision not to apply the increase due in May is the right one, but the whole tax is very unfair and punitive for farmers and rural Ireland,” he said.

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Mr Gorman said more must be done across different areas of concern to farmers.

“The Government must do far more to address the frustration and anger in rural Ireland, particularly around the cost of doing business and over-regulation.

“IFA also proposed a fodder scheme and additional support for the tillage sector, and we will continue to pursue these,” he said.

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He also had a word of warning for farmers about farming issues being effectively hijacked.

“While we will continue to campaign vigorously on these issues, we must guard against our valid campaigns being used by people with other agendas,” he said.

Mr Gorman said the IFA will need to engage regularly to keep the situation under constant review to ensure the agri-sector is protected in what he said were “highly volatile times”.

The Department of Agriculture says the  €100 million Fuel Subsidy Support Scheme

It says the package comes in response to the sharp rise in the price of Marked Gas Oil (MGO), commonly known as green diesel, which has nearly doubled since February due to ongoing geopolitical instability in the Middle East. Prices have risen from €0.97 per litre in late February to €1.80 per litre in recent weeks, placing severe financial pressure on key sectors of Ireland’s food production economy.

Targeted support during peak season

The scheme will provide €20 million per month in supports, with funding directly linked to fuel usage last year to ensure those most impacted by the fuel price increase receive the greatest assistance.

Farmers and agricultural contractors will benefit from a support rate equivalent to approximately 20 cents per litre of MGO (marked gas oil) used based on verified fuel consumption in 2025. The funding will be distributed proportionally a point that was strongly emphasised in ongoing engagements with the representative farm and farm contractor groups.

Supports for farmers and contractors

Approximately 120,000 farmers and 1,500 full-time agricultural contractors will be eligible to apply for support. Payments will be made through a single application process, with funding allocated based on fuel usage last year.

Eligibility will require applicants to demonstrate active farming or contracting status, tax compliance, and verifiable fuel usage. A system of checks and inspections will be implemented to ensure accountability. EU state aid cover will also be necessary.

Dedicated support for fishers and specialist sectors

Up to €5 million per month of the fund will be used to support fishers and other sectors affected such as forestry and specialist horticulture. Fishers are facing acute challenges, exacerbated by very high fuel costs. A tailored fuel support scheme for fishers will be developed, subject to EU State Aid requirements.