Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has announced further details of a €100 million Fuel Support Scheme aimed at assisting farmers, agricultural contractors, and fishers facing sharp increases in fuel costs. The scheme is designed as a targeted income support measure based on verified fuel usage, with payments equivalent to around €200 per 1,000 litres of marked gas oil used in primary agricultural and forestry production during 2025. It will cover fuel usage from March to July and will be open for applications for a limited period in May, with a single payment issued after processing.
Farmers and contractors will be required to self-declare fuel usage supported by receipts, with eligibility checks applied, while contractors must also meet VAT registration and tax compliance requirements. A separate but related fuel support scheme for the fisheries and aquaculture sector will be administered by Bord Iascaigh Mara, also based on fuel consumption and tailored eligibility criteria.
The initiative is part of broader government measures to offset rising fuel prices, including the removal of non-carbon excise on green diesel, bringing total supports to around 27.5 cents per litre. Officials stated that the scheme is intended to ease financial pressure, support cash flow in the sector, and sustain essential food production and rural economic activity.
