The Agri-Food Regulator's allocated budget for 2026 is just under €3.2 million, an increase of more than 60% from the €1.96 million provided in 2025.

The figures were supplied by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon in response to a query from Sligo-Leitrim Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny.

The party's spokesperson on agriculture asked the minister for the total budget and total spend for the Agri-Food Regulator in 2025 and 2026.

Minister Heydon replied: “In 2025 the allocated budget of the Agrifood Regulator, including pay and non-pay, was €1.96 million.

“Of this amount, the total funds transferred to the regulator from my department amounted to €1,936,975.17.

The minister added that for 2026, the regulator's total allocated budget is €3.199 million.

"As of June 22 2026, my department has transferred €1,019,591 in non-pay funding to the Agri-Food Regulator," he stated.

Minister Heydon added that the regulator has also been allocated an additional once-off capital budget of €300,000 in 2026, of which no funds have been drawn down to date.

New powers

The Agri-Food Regulator describes itself as a body that promotes “fairness and transparency in the agri-food supply chain”.

Its statutory remit and focus is on business-to-business relationships within the supply chain.

In exercising this function, the Agri-Food Regulator said it “shall have regard to the circumstances and needs of the agricultural and food sector, including, in particular farming, fishing and small food businesses”.

Regulations that will provide the Agri-Food Regulator with additional powers are set to take effect from December 31 this year.

The introduction of the new regulations will provide the regulator with extra powers to compel the provision of price and market information from businesses in circumstances where voluntary requests for such information have not been complied with.

To date, the regulator has been producing reports using publicly available information.

The enhanced powers relate specifically to the regulator’s price and market analysis function, which is separate from its enforcement role in relation to unfair trading practices (UTPs).