The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 16 May, 2026

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area EU Affairs

Period 1 Jan. 2026 to 30 Apr. 2026

Specific Details Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

Intended results To emphasise IFA's deep concern at the impact CBAM will have on Irish fertiliser prices. To highlight that, Ireland, due to our total dependence on imported nitrogen fertiliser, is much more exposed than some other EU Member States on this issue. To acknowledge that the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine has raised concerns surrounding CBAM and its impact on fertiliser prices at Agri-Fish Council meetings previously. However, the changes that have been put forward following the emergency meeting of Agriculture Ministers earlier this month will have a minimal impact on limiting the fertiliser price increase that CBAM will inflict on Irish farmers. To outline that recent EPA analysis estimates that CBAM will increase the Irish price of urea fertiliser imported from outside the EU by at least €40/tonne and CAN fertiliser by over €100/tonne. The imposition of price increases of this magnitude on farmers at a time when both grain prices and milk prices are under severe pressure is unacceptable. To propose that the Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine supports the Austrian AOB item seeking an immediate suspension of CBAM for fertilisers at the next Agri-Fish Council. To meet with Irish MEPs in Strasbourg to discuss Irish Farmers' concerns. To lead a delegation from the EU farmer representative body COPA in Brussels this week to a High-Level Dialogue on fertiliser with the Directors General of DG AGRI, DG TAXUD and DG GROW from the EU Commission. To raise a number of issues including the newly introduced Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) which is being applied to every tonne of fertiliser imported into the EU. To highlight how this is completely illogical when the cost of fertiliser is increasing in the EU due to the Middle East crisis. The delegation from COPA communicated to the Commission that farmers cannot carry this extra cost at this time and the immediate introduction of measures to offset this price increase is necessary.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Francie Gorman IFA President, Liam MacHale IFA Director of European Affairs, Noel Banville IFA European Executive, Louise Crowley IFA Limerick County Chair

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

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (2-5)

Email (2-5)

Informal communication (2-5)

Social Media (2-5)

Meeting (2-5)

Phone call (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.

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin MEP (European Parliament)

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

Barry Cassidy Special Adviser (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Barry Cowen MEP (European Parliament)

Billy Kelleher MEP (European Parliament)

Brian Purcell Adviser to Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Chris MacManus MEP (European Parliament)

Ciaran Mullooly MEP (European Parliament)

Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP (European Parliament)

Kathleen Funchion MEP (European Parliament)

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)

Nina Carberry MEP (European Parliament)

Regina Doherty MEP (European Parliament)

Sean Kelly MEP (European Parliament)

Sinead McPhillips Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

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

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

Jack O'Donnell Special Advisor (Department of the Taoiseach)