Almost €550,000 paid out under Succession Planning Advice Grant
Over 400 applications have been approved for funding under the Succession Planning Advice Grant (SPAG).
The initiative, run by the Farm Partnership Unit of theDepartment of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), was introduced in September 2023.
The scheme is specifically aimed at encouraging best practice in intergenerational land transfer in farming.
The grant supports farmers aged 60 years and above to seek succession planning advice by contributing up to 50% of vouched legal, accounting and advisory costs, subject to a maximum payment of €1,500.
Succession
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon recently confirmed to Fianna Fáil TD Aindrias Moynihan that a total of 431 applicants have been reimbursed under this grant to date.
In total, almost €550,000 had been paid to farmers under the scheme up to the end of last year.
In 2025, 201 applicants were paid over €264,000 in grant funding.
The following table provides a breakdown of succesful SPAG applicants since 2023:
| Grant year | Number of successful applicants | Totals paid |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 51 | €61,534.17 |
| 2024 | 179 | €222,200.48 |
| 2025 | 201 | €264,195.32 |
| Total | 431 | €547,929.97 |
Applications for the scheme may be submitted all year round, but payments will be made in tranches.
This year’s application window opened on January 1 and will close on November 30, 2026.
Payments will issue for each tranche in quarter 1 (Q1) of the following year until the end of the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
Further details of how to apply for SPAG are available on the department's website.
