The National Economic Dialogue (NED) 2025 takes place today (Monday, June 16), with agriculture featuring as one of the seven topics that will be discussed throughout the day.

The National Economic Dialogue is the main institutional forum for public consultation and discussion on the national budget, with the outcomes of today's event to inform Budget 2026 later in the year.

The annual stakeholder engagement event is hosted jointly by the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure.

The dialogue provides a deliberative forum for stakeholders to participate in an open and inclusive exchange on the competing economic and social priorities facing the government.

The NED is not intended to produce specific budget proposals or recommendations, but is designed to assist participants in preparing their own pre-budget submissions.

The discussions taking place today will focus on the theme of medium-term budgetary planning against a "rapidly changing global backdrop".

During the day, seven separate discussions called 'breakout sessions' will take place at the same time, each covering a different topic.

One of these sessions will be called 'Medium Term Planning in Agriculture: Opportunities and Challenges'.

This session will be chaired by Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine Noel Grealish.

Prof. Michael Wallace, Professor of Agriculture and Food Economics at University College Dublin (UCD), will act as 'rapporteur' for the session, meaning he will report on the session's conclusions at the subsequent plenary session in the afternoon involving all participants.

There will also be a breakout session on 'Climate and Sustainability: Transitioning the Irish Economy'.

This session will be chaired by Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment Timmy Dooley.

Recently, Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe has outlined a number of schemes for farmers that the Department of Finance is reviewing in advance of Budget 2026.

The minister was responding to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fáil TD, Peter “Chap” Cleere.

According to Minister Donohoe, a number of tax reliefs are due to “sunset” at the end of 2025.

The first scheme under review is the Accelerated Capital Allowance (income tax) for slurry storage.

The scheme was announced in 2023 to allow for the accelerated capital allowance for slurry storage, and for the construction of slurry storage facilities in farms.

Minister Donohoe explained: “The scheme allows for the capital expenditure on slurry storage buildings and associated equipment to be written off at a rate of 50% per annum over a period of two years, as opposed to the standard period of seven years in the case of farm buildings, and eight years in the case of plant and machinery.”

The scheme has been in place for three years for expenditure occurred from January 1, 2023 to December 21, 2025.