Farmers and agricultural contractors are set to receive fuel support payments by the end of June after the Government finalised a scheme introduced בעקבות recent protests.
Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien and Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon outlined elements of the plan at Government Buildings earlier, with Mr O’Brien stating the initiative will “offer supports at a difficult time”, reports RTE.
The fuel support scheme will provide financial assistance to as many as 120,000 farmers and 1,500 full-time agricultural contractors.
When combined with previous excise reductions, the measures will lead to an effective saving of €274 on the purchase of 1,000 litres of green diesel, reports RTE.
Mr Heydon said applications for the scheme will open next week and remain available for a four-week period.
He also noted that the supports will be backdated to 1 March, when rising energy costs linked to the US-Israel war involving Iran began to have an impact, reports RTE.
He dismissed claims that the scheme would involve excessive bureaucracy, describing it as “very straightforward” and based on usage in 2025.
“The scheme is needed as we are in the most intensive time of the year for agriculture food production,” and “facing into a very busy silage season that will be followed soon after by a busy tillage season of harvesting over the summer,” he added, reports RTE.
Mr O’Brien said that schemes managed by his department will begin accepting applications from mid-May, in approximately two to three weeks.
The announcement has prompted criticism from the Opposition, which accused the Government of simply reintroducing measures agreed two weeks ago, reports RTE.
Opposition parties are calling for an emergency budget to support households, but Ministers argued that the measures for hauliers and agricultural workers would ultimately benefit consumers by speeding up food delivery and lowering costs.
The Coalition is also launching a communications campaign aimed at helping households and businesses manage their energy expenses, reports RTE.
The campaign will provide information on how people can access the available supports.
However, Mr O’Brien rejected claims that the initiative amounts to the Government directing how people use energy, reports RTE.
“We are in no way, shape or form, are we trying to dictate to people at all,” regarding energy use, he said, reports RTE.
Mr O’Brien declined to comment on whether he was aware of Tánaiste Simon Harris’s request for Department of Finance officials to develop measures encouraging more sustainable energy use.
He pointed to a notable rise in electric vehicle registrations this year and a 100% increase in applications for heat pump grants, reports RTE.
“NÃlim faoi bhrú – I’m not under pressure at all,” he said when asked if Tánaiste Simon Harris had been urging action, reports RTE.
Details of support for those operating construction vehicles are still pending, with Mr Heydon confirming ongoing discussions with the sector.
He added that Minister for Housing James Browne is engaging with industry representatives, reports RTE.
“Those talks are continuing in terms of what happens on that side,” he said, reports RTE.
Mr Heydon also said that support measures for fishers are still under development.
The scheme was introduced following fuel protests three weeks ago, although Mr O’Brien said plans for additional fuel supports for hauliers, farmers, and contractors were already underway before the demonstrations, reports RTE.
He added that the protests have now ended, stating that the Government had engaged constructively with those involved, reports RTE.
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