The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 19 Sep, 2025

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area Social Protection

Period 1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025

Specific Details Fair Deal & Older People in Rural Areas

Intended results Fair Deal Reform To propose reducing the 5-year land/business transfer clause to 3 years to allow more farmers to benefit from the Fair Deal Scheme. To propose that land leased under Fair Deal should be classed as “actively farmed” to meet succession criteria. To propose increasing the ancillary state support loan payback to a minimum of 5 years to allow sufficient time to repay the costs. To propose increasing cash asset disregard for a single person from €36,000 to €44,000 and for a couple from €72,000 to €88,000 To propose reducing the assessment period for the family home under Fair Deal from 3 years to 2 years, with a maximum contribution of 15% of the home's value (7.5% per year), instead of the current cap of 22.5%. To propose that income from leased farmland should be excluded or at least partially disregarded in the Fair Deal financial assessment. Home Support Scheme To propose immediately introducing a statutory, universal Home Support Scheme, with specific rural adaptation funding. Interim Measures To propose increasing Home Support Service hours and improve geographic consistency. Private Nursing Home Equity To propose ensuring equitable funding between public and private nursing homes. Workplace Pension Access To propose that the new Workplace Pension Scheme must be extended to include farmers and other self-employed individuals, with every €3 saved by a farmer resulting in a further €4 being credited to their pension savings account by the Government

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Francie Gorman IFA President, Teresa Roche IFA Farm Family Chair, Claire McGlynn IFA Policy Executive

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Mass communications

Letter All TDs

Submission All TDs

Letter All Senators

Submission All Senators

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (11-20)

Meeting (2-5)

Social Media (2-5)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Brian Brennan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brian Purcell Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture and the Marine)

Christopher O'Sullivan Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Edward Timmins TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Emer Higgins Minister of State (Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform)

Helen McEntee Minister (Department of Education)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Minister (Department of Health)

Malcolm Byrne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Martin Heydon Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Michael Healy-Rae Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Michael Moynihan Minister of State (Department of Education)

Noel Grealish Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Paschal Donohoe Minister (Department of Finance)

Peter Burke Minister (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

Sean Canney Minister of State (Department of Transport)

James Browne Minister (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)