The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 14 Sep, 2026

Relevant Matter Matters involving public funds

Public Policy Area EU Affairs

Period 1 May. 2026 to 31 Aug. 2026

Specific Details Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Post-2027

Intended results To highlight IFA CAP post -2027 key priorities. Increased Budget The proposed €293.7bn ring-fenced for CAP is a drastic cut in both real terms and nominal terms compared with the current CAP 2023-2027 budget (and that assumes forecast Member State contributions materialise). For Ireland, it's potentially a cut of c.2.5bn (-24%) in the next CAP. A minimum ring-fenced CAP budget of €500bn is needed to account for inflation and better manage current and future farming challenges. Farmers cannot do more with less. The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) /CAP Farmers cannot do more with less. The Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) /CAP cannot create more unviable farmers or rural areas. Reward Active Farmers • All active farmers must be supported in the next CAP. • Agricultural activity must be the decisive criterion, not age, means, farm type/size or full-time/part-time status. • All measures in the next CAP must increase/strengthen farm incomes and must be measured against that objective • The shift towards a flat-rate payment per hectare, with no transition period, unless attracting a favourable basic rate/ hectare, risks replicating the experience of past CAP reforms and negatively impacting the on-farm competitiveness and viability of already vulnerable family farms and rural areas from the outset (see Figures 1 and 2). This cannot be repeated, or compounded by mandatory capping and degressivity. Member States still using entitlements-based systems should be allowed to choose to continue using them. • Payments need some link to on-farm productivity, and flexibility to allow increased allocations towards this is welcome. • Payments for agri-environmental and climate actions should provide a real incentive, going beyond cost-incurred/income foregone. • Farm stewardship, protective practices and individual interventions need to be practical and evidence-based, complementary to existing on-farm practices. Leakage of funds needs to be minimised. The focus should be on reducing the climate and environmental footprint of agricultural production not the extensification of livestock production systems or restricting agricultural activity, especially those on designated sites or peatlands/wetlands. • Support for on-farm investments (especially nutrient storage) should be ring-fenced, with higher rates for strategic cohorts. Independent and Coherent CAP Regulations under the Control of Agricultural Ministries • Those most familiar with agriculture, at both EU and national level (i.e. the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, DAFM), must be given the lead in the design and control of National Plans and CAP Strategic Plans to ensure the interests of farmers are prioritised. • CAP and the farmers' voice cannot be diminished further. • All regulations relating to agriculture, farmers and rural development, currently within the National and Regional Partnership (NRP) Regulation, must be transferred into the CAP Regulation. Key definitions surrounding ‘active farmer' and ‘eligible hectare' within the current CAP must be retained. • A full toolbox of Pillar 1- and Pillar 2-type supports is required. • CAP cannot be the funding/control mechanism for environmental ambition. Simplification Evident at Farm Level • Despite two rounds of simplification, its impact at farm level has been negligible. Reduced, rather than rebranded, conditionality requirements are needed. • Interventions within CAP Plans must be based on the needs of the agricultural sector, not on Commission recommendations, which must be non-binding. • The ‘do no significant harm' principle risks further legal complexity and uncertainty at farm level and should be removed. • Increased proportionality in the control and penalty systems is of utmost importance. Generally, focus on guidance and correction, with a close-out period, rather than non-compliance and penalties. Have Transitional Arrangements Agreed • Given the legislative timeframe, level of structural change proposed and complexity of negotiations, we need to have transitional arrangements in place (spanning 1-2yrs), even if we never actually use them, to preserve existing farm schemes and payments and allow Member States sufficient time to adapt administrative systems.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Francie Gorman IFA President, IFA Director General Damian McDonald, Tadhg Buckley IFA Director of Policy & Chief Economist, Stephen Walsh IFA Clare County Chair, Shane Whelan IFA Senior Policy Executive, Rachel Moloney 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

Letter All MEPs

Submission All MEPs

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (2-5)

Email (2-5)

Informal communication (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.

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

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

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

Paul Savage Assistant Secretary (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Simon Harris Tánaiste and Minister (Department of Finance)

Michael McNamara MEP (European Parliament)

Micheál Martin Taoiseach (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)