The Beef Plan Movement’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) committee has outlined concerns regarding the principle of subsidising holiday pay for farmers through CAP funding.

Beef Plan’s John Moloney said that while the committee supports the concept of a paid holiday scheme for farmers, "drawing this funding from an already diminished CAP budget threatens to reduce the support available to those who rely on subsidies to cover basic operational costs". 

He said: “Many suckler farmers are, at best, breaking even. Consequently, a holiday payment sits firmly at the bottom of their priority list.

“To reiterate, we support the idea of holiday pay, but it cannot be financed through an already overstretched CAP fund."

Off-farm jobs

According to Beef Plan Movement, the majority of beef farmers are forced to work two jobs, relying on off-farm employment just to make ends meet.

Recent data from Teagasc highlights the severity of this issue, revealing that 63% of beef farmers currently hold off-farm jobs.

“This widespread double-jobbing is born entirely out of financial necessity," Moloney said.

“Surely, the foundational goal of CAP payments should be to ensure these families can secure a sustainable income from their core farming enterprises, eliminating the forced requirement to seek outside employment.”

According to the Beef Plan representative, the "original objective" of CAP payments was to support low-income sectors.

"The 'headage system of the 1990s ensured that low-income beef enterprises received targeted support," he said.

“In recent years, however, funding has been systematically diverted away from primary producers as an increasing number of quangos and agencies dip into the fund."

Moloney noted that rural development initiatives, Bord Bia, Teagasc, and Farm Relief Services (FRS) - who recently put forward a proposal to fund holiday from CAP - "all draw from CAP resources". 

​"It is particularly troubling to see FRS angling for holiday subsidies when they are already a primary beneficiary of agricultural funding," Stevenson said.

“In 2025 alone, FRS received €9.3m in funding from CAP payments.

“Expanding their reach into CAP-subsidised holiday pay crosses a line into non-essential funding at a time when primary producers are struggling to survive."

Moloney also noted that Beef Plan is "deeply concerned" by the wording of the proposed incentive, which it says allocates more credits to larger farms.

“This structure disproportionately benefits larger holdings, predominantly in the dairy sector, which have historically enjoyed higher incomes than their beef-producing counterparts," he said.

He warned that the scheme could lead to funds being transferred from lower-income beef farmers to "wealthier agricultural sectors".

The Beef Plan Movement representative believes that the call for funding via the CAP comes amid a difficult time for the sector.

​“We are witnessing the steady erosion of the beef sector, with suckler cow numbers in freefall.

“While a holiday payment is a positive concept, it must not become yet another mechanism that siphons vital funding away from struggling beef farmers," Moloney said.