Sinn Féin spokesperson on Agriculture, Matt Carthy TD, has said that Budget 2023 offers “little for Ireland’s family farmers”.  

Teachta Carthy expressed disappointment that the government failed to recognise the scale of the challenges facing many farmers. 

While Sinn Féin’s Alternative Budget had outlined new measures costed at €165.5million in Current and Capital supports for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Government instead has provided just €11million of additional funding beyond what was pre-committed in non-core Brexit related funding.

Teachta Carthy said:

“Following all the rhetoric at the Ploughing Championships just last week, the government have completely failed farmers in Budget 2023.

“Behind all repackaged announcements in the government’s Budget pack – the fact is that just €11million of additional resources have been allocated to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

“It is evident that there will not be sufficient funding for those farmers that need it most.

“Sinn Féin had outlined in our Alternative Budget a Suckler Farm payment of up to €300 per cow/calf pair; we had provided for an increased Sheep Improvement Scheme of €20 per ewe; we had allocated an additional €25million for farms on Areas of Natural Constraint and €15million of additional funding for organics. 

“We had also provided for all of the non-core expenditure included in the government’s figures.

“We also provided for Young Farmers, including the so-called forgotten farmers, and had provided for key environmental measures that would allow farmers to deliver on Climate Action targets.  

“The government’s budget will not provide sufficiently in any of these areas.  This is a budget that will mean little for our family farmers.

“At a time when farmers are facing multiple challenges from Brexit, rising input costs and Climate obligations – this is a clearly a government that fails to recognise the scale of those challenges.”