The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 19 Sep, 2025

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area EU Affairs

Period 1 May, 2025 to 31 Aug, 2025

Specific Details Key Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Post 2027 Principles - General Administration

Intended results That adequate resources should be deployed to DAFM staffing, IT infrastructure, etc, to ensure the swift delivery of payments per the Farmers Charter of Rights, where required on foot of MFF/CAP Reform. Individual cases (incl. partnerships), which require additional processing, should not be continually pushed out or processed without payment. Advance payments should be issued to all, with any issue/ discrepancy corrected via balancing and/or future scheme payments where required. That full scheme details must be provided to farmers at the outset and point of application. Unless to the farmer's advantage, individual terms/ qualifications must hold for at least the term of the new CAP programme. There can be no downward revision or pro-rata reduction in either payment or maximum eligible area within individual measures. That it is essential that an agreed decision timeline is derived (& enforced) from when, post end of application window, farmers can expect to receive decision letters. Nonreceipt of formal decisions within agreed-upon timelines is assumed to be approved. That paying agencies need to proactively notify farmers and their planners of potential penalties/anomalies arising from non-action directly, in written format, rather than relying on digital means through AgFood. That any unspent CAP funding must be ringfenced and distributed within Agriculture. That any amendments to national CAP Strategic Plans (CSP) should only require Commission approval where strategic.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Francie Gorman IFA President, Damian McDonald IFA Director General, Elaine Farrell IFA Director of Governance & Oireachtas Engagement, Tadhg Buckley IFA Director of Policy & Chief Economist, Liam MacHale IFA Director of European Affairs, Shane Whelan IFA Senior Policy Executive, Noel Banville IFA European 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 MEPs

Submission All MEPs

Letter All Senators

Submission All Senators

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (1)

Email (6-10)

Social Media (2-5)

Meeting (1)

Informal communication (6-10)

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.

Aindrias Moynihan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin MEP (European Parliament)

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

Barry Cowen MEP (European Parliament)

Billy Kelleher MEP (European Parliament)

Ciaran Mullooly MEP (European Parliament)

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP (European Parliament)

Joe Cooney TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Kathleen Funchion MEP (European Parliament)

Kieran O'Donnell Minister of State (Department of Health)

Luke Ming Flanagan MEP (European Parliament)

Lynn Boylan MEP (European Parliament)

Maria Walsh MEP (European Parliament)

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

Michael McNamara MEP (European Parliament)

Michael Moynihan Minister of State (Department of Education)

Micheál Martin Taoiseach (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Nina Carberry MEP (European Parliament)

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

Norma Foley Minister (Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth)

Paul Daly Senator (Seanad)

Regina Doherty MEP (European Parliament)

Sean Canney Minister of State (Department of Transport)

Sean Kelly MEP (European Parliament)

Timmy Dooley Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)