Ireland's Fuel Income Support Scheme for farmers, agricultural contractors and fishers will be extended, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris told the Dáil on 24 September, Agriland reports.

"We were all at the ploughing last week, we heard very clearly three issues; fuel, fodder and fertiliser," Harris said, adding that there would be support for farmers with fodder and fertiliser and that details of the fuel extension would be finalised in the coming days.

Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon said green diesel prices remained elevated and that he was working on a second tranche of payments for the agri-sector in the budget negotiations.

The scheme was introduced after fuel protests and blockades by farmers, contractors and hauliers. By 21 August it had paid out €25.21 million to 30,604 farmers and contractors, the Department of Agriculture said; a preliminary analysis put the average payment at about €4,000 for contractors and €600 for farmers.

The Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI), which had sought an urgent meeting with Heydon after green diesel prices peaked for the year in August, welcomed the extension. "Our members have been under severe pressure since the war broke out in the Middle East," said managing director Ann Gleeson Hanrahan.

The report was written by Joe Griffin for Agriland.

Photo: John MacKenzie / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Source: Agriland