Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, has today (Wednesday, May 27) announced an extension to the closing date for the Fuel Income Support Scheme.

The scheme deadline will now not close until midnight on Tuesday, June 2.Minister Heydon said: "We have seen a strong response to the Fuel Income Support Scheme among farmers and contractors to date including a large number of applications received over the weekend and the past two days.

"I want to ensure that no one is left behind and that as many farmers and farm contractors as possible have the opportunity to apply."The minister is urging farmers and contractors who have not yet applied to do so in the coming days.

"The average contractor is using around 70,000L of diesel a year and this payment will assist their businesses at a time of high fuel usage and associated cost," Heydon added.“This support was designed in consultation with representatives of the various stakeholders and key asks from them were the targeting of the payment to those affected the most by MGO (Marked Gas Oil) prices, and speedy issue of the support."

Minister Heydon explained that his department has ensured that support is directed to those impacted by the price increase and who are actively engaged in producing food and managing forests.Farmers can apply online via 'My AgFood', and contractors can download the necessary forms from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) website.

Completed forms and receipts can then be submitted to to fuelsub@agriculture.gov.ie or to the postal address provided on the forms.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.

Criteria for Fuel Income Support Scheme

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.

The total payment each applicant will receive will be calculated once all claims have been submitted.

However, it is anticipated that approximately 20c/L of the estimated usage over a five-month period will be the basis of the payment, according to DAFM.

Both the assumed usage ratio and the c/L amount will be set to ensure that the total scheme budget is respected.

These will be calculated once all applications have been received, according to the department.

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.

Farmer applicants will make a self-declaration of usage based on statements or receipts which they hold and which may be subject to risk-based checks, while contractors will have to supply receipts or statements with the application form.

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.