Government support “for Ireland’s largest indigenous sector has never been more critical”, according to the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA).
“Farmers across all sectors are facing an increasingly uncertain future due to CAP [Common Agricultural Policy] reform, climate action and uncertainty arising from Brexit.”
The IFA has said it will raise the many challenges facing Ireland’s farm families at a pre-Budget 2022 lobbying session it is holding for members of the Oireachtas next Wednesday (September 22).
Before this, it will also specifically meet remotely with the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe and the Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath on the day.
Minister McGrath said this week that preparations for Budget 2022 are “well underway” in his department and that he will be “engaging with government colleagues intensively in the coming weeks”.
Budget 2022
“The government is focused on delivering in respect of the key commitment in the Programme for Government in the areas of health, housing and climate change, and other pressing challenges,” Minister McGrath said.
“The baseline position for negotiations was set out in the Mid-Year Expenditure Report and the expenditure ceiling for 2022 of €88.2 billion was outlined in the Summer Economic Statement.
“The lifting of some pandemic-related restrictions has already been implemented, and further changes are planned in the weeks ahead. After an incredibly difficult 18 months, this is a most welcome development.
“We are committed to maintaining the necessary expenditure to continue to protect lives and livelihoods in to 2022.
“We have made provision for a further €6.8 billion of Covid expenditure next year, bringing the total commitment to date to over €38 billion, demonstrating the unprecedented level of support provided.
“We are experiencing a strong rebound in the Irish economy and the support the government has provided has played a direct role in this,” according to Minister McGrath.