The government has been criticised for cutting the budget in half for the 2026 Traditional Farm Buildings Scheme.

On Wednesday (April 8), Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Martin Heydon announced the opening of the 2026 Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme.

The minister confirmed that the department will allocate funding of €750,000 for the 2026 edition of the scheme.

The amount of funding is half of what was allocated in 2025, which was €1.5 million.

The scheme was also announced later than it was in recent years, although the exact timing of the scheme's opening has varied from year to year.

Speaking following the announcement of the 2026 scheme, Green Party agriculture spokesperson, Senator Malcolm Noonan, claimed that the halving of the grant for this year, and what he said was its late announcement, "displays a total disregard by government...of our rural vernacular heritage".

“Our traditional farm buildings are an intrinsic part of our rural landscape, often made of local materials and in many cases offering spaces for barn owls and other wildlife," Noonan said.

"Slashing the scheme will deprive many farmers the opportunity to restore these buildings and deprive rural economies of revenue to local crafts and tradespeople," he added.

The senator and former minister of state for nature claimed that the current government has "abandoned" a Programme for Government commitment to increase funding for the traditional farm buildings grant.

Noonan said the funding cut is "hugely disappointing for farm families who may have been waiting on an announcement".

The Green Party is calling on Minster Heydon to fully reinstate the fund and to increase it in future budgets.

"This is an important funding scheme that has delivered for our heritage, for rural economies, for nature and for farmers. It is mean spirited to cut it so drastically," Noonan commented.

"Minister Heydon must find the money to properly fund the Traditional Farm Buildings Grant Scheme” he added.