Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, has today (Wednesday, May 6) announced the opening of the Fuel Income Support Scheme.

Both farmers and farm and forestry contractors will be eligible to apply for the scheme which will cover the five months from March to July.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has said that 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 of marked gas oil, known as green diesel, over a five-month period will be the basis of the payment.

"Both the assumed usage ratio and the cents per litre amount will be set to ensure that the total scheme budget is respected.

"These will be calculated once all applications have been received," a department spokesperson said.

Fuel support scheme

The department said eligibility for support will be based on use of green diesel for primary production of agricultural products on farm (including forestry) in 2025.

Applicants will make a self-declaration of usage for the 12 months of 2025 based on statements or receipts which will be subject to risk-based checks.

Under the scheme there will be one payment per applicant to cover a full five-month period rather than monthly payments.

In order to qualify for the scheme, farmers must have been actively farming in 2025, or commenced actively farming in 2026 and continue to do so this year.

For agricultural 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.

Applications

Farmers can apply for the scheme through the department's online AgFood platform.

Contractors can download the necessary forms from the DAFM website and submit completed applications by email or to the postal address provided on the forms.

The scheme will remain open until Wednesday, May 27, 2026, "with payments to issue as soon as thereafter".

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.

The department said that details of the dedicated support scheme for fisheries and aquaculture will be announced shortly.

Minister Heydon said the government recognises the "exceptional pressure" that the sudden increase in the cost of green diesel has placed on farmers, contractors and fishers.

Green diesel prices have nearly doubled, rising from approximately €0.97/L in late February to around €1.80/L by mid-April, driven by the war in the Middle East.

The minister said that in response the government has allocated funding of €100 million to "provide meaningful income support for these sectors".

He said the support package is "the culmination of intensive work with representative stakeholder groups in recent weeks".

The minister said the scheme "ensures that funding is directed where it is needed most, helping to sustain essential food production and rural economic activity".

"It is a straightforward scheme aimed at those most impacted by the sudden increase in the cost of marked gas oil," he said.