The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, has announced the opening of applications for the 2026 Basic Income Support for Sustainability, along with the Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability, Eco-Schemes and other related direct payment schemes. Over the coming weeks, farmers will receive an information pack by post containing their land details and maps for 2026, designed to support them and their advisors in completing the online application process. The closing date for applications is 15 May 2026, and farmers are encouraged to begin the process early, particularly if they are using advisory services.
All elements of Direct Payments, including Basic Income Support for Sustainability, Eco-Schemes, Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers, Protein Aid, the National Reserve and entitlement transfers, must be applied for online. The online system is intended to streamline processing and ensure timely payments. Farmers are reminded to confirm their participation in schemes such as Areas of Natural Constraints, Eco-Schemes and, where relevant, the Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers. Annual claims for the Straw Incorporation Measure, the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme and the Organic Farming Scheme can also be submitted online.
Applicants are advised to review the full Terms and Conditions carefully, particularly tillage farmers who should note updates related to Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC 7) concerning crop rotation and diversification requirements. The Minister emphasized that direct payments remain a vital component of farm income and urged farmers to submit complete applications on time and respond promptly to any departmental queries to avoid delays in payment.
For 2026, a new section on Farm Safety, Health and Wellbeing has been included in the scheme’s Terms and Conditions. This addition highlights farmers’ legal obligations while also pointing to available supports, including the TAMS3 Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme, which assists in improving on-farm safety standards. The inclusion follows a significant rise in farm-related fatalities in 2025, with 24 lives lost, underscoring the need for greater awareness and preventative action.
Farmers seeking assistance with the online system can contact the department for help with registration, password recovery or application queries. As is customary at the opening of the application window, certain groups, including some participants in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme, may experience temporary restrictions in the early weeks to ensure all relevant information is available before submission. These restrictions will be lifted in sufficient time to allow all applicants to meet the deadline.
Farmers considering transferring payment entitlements for 2026 and beyond are also advised to take note that the current Common Agricultural Policy cycle concludes at the end of 2027, and draft regulations from 2028 do not currently provide for the continuation of the payment entitlement system.
