The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine recently revealed a comprehensive list of all the beneficiaries of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments last year.
A total of 133,182 beneficiaries received a CAP payment (of over €1,250) in the Republic of Ireland last year; in excess of €1.6 billion was paid out to these beneficiaries.
By the end of May each year, EU regulations require the department to publish a list of all beneficiaries – once they receive more than €1,250 – of CAP funding.
Beneficiaries in Co. Dublin enjoyed the highest average CAP payment, of €19,062, last year. However, there were only 867 beneficiaries of CAP payments in Co. Dublin; this was the lowest number of beneficiaries for a county in all of the Republic of Ireland.
Meanwhile, the lowest average CAP payment last year was witnessed in Co. Sligo; beneficiaries received an average payment of €8,769, some €3,352 below the national average.
Region
By examining the average CAP payment received by beneficiaries by region, it is clear to see that beneficiaries in Leinster came out on top over all.
In total, there was 32,450 beneficiaries of CAP funding in the Leinster region who received payments equalling €481,987,911.
CAP statistics for Leinster
Beneficiaries in Munster received €1,491 less as part of their average CAP payment than their counterparts in Leinster. The average CAP payment in Munster equalled €13,362; placing it €1,241 above the national average.
CAP statistics for Munster
The average CAP payment dipped to below €10,000 for beneficiaries in the Connacht region and in the three counties of Ulster in 2016.
In counties Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan the average CAP payment was €9,814; some €2,307 below the national average.
CAP statistics for the three counties in Ulster
The average dropped further in Connacht, with beneficiaries receiving an average payment of €9,526 last year.
CAP statistics for Connacht
This placed it €2,595 below the national average and €5,327 below the average received in the Leinster region.