Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon is being urged to immediately open the fertiliser support scheme to release the EU and national funding to Irish farmers facing dramatically increased fertiliser costs.

In recent months, geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions have pushed prices of fertilisers up across Europe.

Last month, the EU formally adopted targeted measures to support farmers faced with the increase in fertiliser prices and other input costs.

The regulation allows EU member states to provide urgent and targeted financial support to farmers most affected by rising production costs and liquidity pressures.

MEP Mullooly said the EU has already allocated approximately €15 million in exceptional support to Ireland, with provision allowing the government to provide additional national funding of up to 200% of the EU allocation.

This would potentially bring the total package available to Irish farmers to approximately €45 million.

“The European funding has been made available. The government has the capacity to substantially increase that support through national funding," Mullooly said.

“It beggars belief that farmers are still waiting to be told how and when this money will be distributed.

"Farmers have been exposed to fertiliser price increases of up to 70% as a consequence of the energy and input-cost crisis, and this support is needed on farms now.”

The Independent Ireland MEP said there should be no unnecessary delay in implementing the scheme.

“Farmers should not have to wait for a convenient PR [public relations] opportunity or ministerial announcement before being given access to support that has already been approved at European level.

“Other Member States, including France, Spain and Greece, have moved to implement exceptional support for their farmers. Ireland should be showing the same urgency.”

Fertiliser support

MEP Mullooly called on the minister to immediately confirm the following:

The total national contribution that will be added to the EU allocation;
The payment rate and eligibility criteria for Irish farmers;
The date on which applications will open;
The timetable for getting the money directly into farmers’ hands.

“The government should use the full national funding capacity available, bringing the package to approximately €45 million, and get it distributed without further delay," Mullooly added.

“This is not money that should be sitting on a government balance sheet while farmers struggle with exceptionally high input costs.

"The funding has been provided to support farmers - it is time to get it onto farms.”