Budget 2026: Govt 'turns its back on next generation' - Macra
The president of Macra has given a mixed reaction to Budget 2026 which was unveiled by government today (Tuesday, October 7).
Josephine O’Neill welcomed key investments and supports for rural communities and the agriculture sector.
However, she strongly criticising the government for failing to deliver "meaningful measures" to support generational renewal.
The Macra president acknowledged that "there are aspects of today’s budget that deserve to be acknowledged and welcomed".
Budget 2026 includes the extension of agricultural tax reliefs including the Young Trained Farmer Stamp Duty Relief, Farm Restructuring Capital Gains Tax Relief and Farm Consolidation Stamp Duty Relief, along with Accelerated Capital Allowance for Slurry Storage.
O'Neill said the extension of these measures to the end of 2029 "provides certainty and stability to farm families who are trying to plan for the years ahead".
"These measures recognise the pressures that family farms are under and the need to maintain competitiveness while facing rising costs and market volatility," she said.
The Macra president welcomed the allocation of €85 million towards the bovine tuberculosis (TB) programme, which she said is "a longstanding and costly burden on Irish farmers".
“TB is not just a financial challenge; it is a huge emotional strain on families who have to watch their herds impacted by restrictions and losses year after year.
"The allocation of €85 million is a significant investment and a positive move that will hopefully accelerate progress towards meaningful eradication,” she said.
O'Neill also said the announcement of increased places in the veterinary college was described as a “strategic and necessary intervention.”
“The shortage of vets in rural Ireland is a real and growing problem. Farmers rely on veterinary services not just for compliance, but for the day-to-day running of their businesses.
"Increasing college places is a practical step that will, in time, help to ease this shortage and ensure that rural communities have access to the services they need,” she added.
Macra also welcomed the announcement of additional funding for the National Broadband Plan.
However, O'Neill expressed deep frustration and disappointment at the government’s ongoing failure to tackle generational renewal.
“For the third consecutive budget, we have seen no clear commitment to supporting young farmers or facilitating farm succession.
"There are no new incentives, no targeted schemes, and no structured policy direction to address the single biggest challenge facing Irish agriculture today: the ageing of our farming population.
"This failure is even more stark given the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s €2.3 billion budget for 2026.
“Within a budget of €2.3 billion, it is frankly unacceptable that not a single new measure has been allocated to support generational renewal. The resources are there, but the political will is not,” she said.
The Macra president noted that Ireland has one of the lowest rates of young farmers in the EU, with the average age of farmers continuing to rise.
"Macra has repeatedly called for a comprehensive generational renewal strategy, including enhanced installation supports, access to land measures, and succession planning incentives.
"Young people want to farm. They want to innovate, diversify, and build sustainable businesses. But they are being met with financial barriers, bureaucratic delays, and a lack of political will.
"This government is failing to recognise that without young people entering the sector, there is no future for Irish farming.
“You cannot secure the future of rural Ireland if you refuse to invest in the people who will shape it. Generational renewal is not optional—it is essential,” O’Neill said.
