William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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253. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the timeline for the payment of supports to farmers in the tillage sector; the measures that will be put in place to ensure that these payments are distributed fairly and equitably across all eligible tillage farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66331/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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This Government recognises the importance of the tillage sector and wants to grow the area under tillage crops. I fully acknowledge the pressures facing the tillage sector, not least the challenging market conditions this season.

In recognition of the sector’s importance, my Department will be supporting the tillage sector in 2026 with funding of €50m through the combination of Protein Aid Scheme, the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) and a new Tillage Support Scheme. Having secured additional funding in Budget 2026 to further support the sector, I intend to consult with stakeholders on how this funding will be utilised.

In addition to additional commitments made in Budget 2026, my Department has provided significant direct supports to tillage farmers in recent years. This year, the budget for the Protein Aid Scheme is €10m, having increased from €7m to €10m annually from last year. Earlier this year, I made the decision to pay all eligible applicants under the Straw Incorporation Measure in 2025.

In February this year, I announced €32.4 million of payments under the Tillage and Horticulture Support Scheme, which was Government’s response to the difficult position tillage and horticultural farmers found themselves in due to exceptionally poor weather and continued high input costs last Spring.

The Farming for Water EIP has a budget of €60m to support targeted on-farm additional measures to improve water quality, including establishment of cover crops. The tillage sector is also being supported under other schemes, including the Tillage Capital Investment Scheme, ACRES and the Organic Farming Scheme.

I will continue to work with the tillage sector and provide targeted support where possible given the strategic importance of the sector within the wider agricultural industry