Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has confirmed that delayed farm payments will start to issue from tomorrow (Thursday, October 22).

Payments worth over €500 million under the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and Complimentary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS) had been due to be paid to farmers last Friday (October 16).

However, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) said these payments had been delayed due to industrial action taken by public sector workers.

The department said last week that the payments would not be made until October 27.

Farm leaders hit out at the delays, describing the disruption as a “massive blow for farmers”.

On Monday (October 19), Minister Heydon, who had said the industrial action had a "disproportionate impact" on farmers, announced that the payments would issue before this weekend.

It is understood this was made possible after the public sector union Fórsa issued a derogation from the industrial action for DAFM staff responsible for processing farm payments.

Payments

Minister Heydon confirmed this morning that 2026 BISS and CRISS payments will start to hit farmers accounts from tomorrow.

He acknowledged the cashflow pressures on farms which have been hit with soaring input costs this year.

"We've worked night and day to get the BISS and CRISS payments out, the single biggest payments to farmers in the year.

"I want to thank the unions for their cooperation. Obviously, there was a slight delay due to the work-to-rule that had been in place.

"But the special derogation now allowed us to get moving on those payments this week," he said.

Minister Heydon also said he was also hopeful that the ongoing talks will lead to a successful conclusion to reach an agreement on a public sector pay deal.