Macra has welcomed the €100 million emergency package announced by the government as a "significant step in the right direction".

A "comprehensive" Fuel Subsidy Support Scheme to assist farmers, agricultural contractors and fishers facing "unprecedented increases" in fuel costs has been announced.

Macra said it had been calling for the development of a crisis response scheme.

The organisation said that in direct engagement with the Minister for Agriculture over the weekend, it highlighted the "need for targeted support and concerns surrounding criteria of the proposals which may affect young farmer accessibility".

The organisation said it welcomes the usage-based support scheme and a "confirmation of consideration for new entrants in the development of the scheme".

'Time is of the essence'

While Macra said it recognises that the development of such a scheme will take time, president Josephine O’Neill highlighted that "swift and efficient delivery will be critical".

She said this is a "critical support" for young farmers, but that "time is of the essence in the development and delivery of this".

The organisation had also called for the reduction of excise duty on agri-diesel, petrol and white diesel.

“Our members have been struggling to make ends meet as a result of the ongoing crisis," O'Neill said.

The government said it is now extending temporary measures to reduce excise duty on petrol, diesel and marked gas oil from the end of May to the end of July.

The government said it intends to introduce a further 10c reduction in excise duty on petrol and on diesel, and a further 2.4c reduction on marked gas oil.

O'Neill said these cuts will "hopefully go a long way to relieving some of the pressures currently being faced".

The Macra president also welcomed the government’s deferral of the planned carbon tax increase.

However, she has called on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to continue negotiations in relation to the requested pause on carbon tax and CBAM tax on fertilisers.