Farmers 'furious' as they urge govt to pay €13/ewe under Sheep Welfare Scheme
Sheep farmers are "furious" at the "failure to honour the commitment" to pay €13/ewe for completing all the actions of the National Sheep Welfare Scheme.
Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) sheep chair Adrian Gallagher said "if there is a will from the minister and his government colleagues to resolve this issue, then there is a way".
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has announced that €16.44 million in payments under the 2025 Sheep Welfare Scheme have begun issuing to farmers.
Farmers were required to complete two actions from category A, which were mandatory actions, and one action from category B, which were optional or voluntary actions.
The completion of all three actions will result in a payment of €11.50/ewe.
Sheep sector in 'serious decline'
"It’s up to the minister to find the €2.4 million for the sheep scheme,” Adrian Gallagher said.
“Sheep farmers entered into a contract with the minister in good faith when applying to the scheme and carrying out the actions.
"These are all costed actions based on income foregone, cost incurred.
"This was on the clear understanding they would receive €13/ewe for investing in these measures on their farms."
Gallagher highlighted that the sheep sector is in "serious decline" in recent years.
"There will be over 800,000 fewer lambs processed this year compared to 2023, with farmers no longer prepared to keep working for nothing," he said.
Generational renewal
Generational renewal in the sector is a huge challenge, and according to the IFA, this will be further compounded if the minister does not come forward with the full payment of €13/ewe for farmers.
Gallagher said the issue is "about much more than just the financial cut to the payments".
"It is about how the minister and his government colleagues view the sector and how they are prepared to support it in the long term," the IFA sheep chair said.
“This penny-pinching, at a crucial time for sheep farming, is a clear sign of the level of the interest from the government in supporting this vital national resource and the second largest farming sector in the country.”
Gallagher said sheep farming is concentrated on the west coast of Ireland in some of the most difficult land to farm.
He is urging TDs and government ministers from these regions in particular to "stand up for the sector" and ensure the funding is provided to pay sheep farmers the full €13/ewe.
