Louth TD slams decision to reduce sheep payments

Louth Fianna Fáil TD, Erin McGreehan, has said she is seeking a meeting with the Minister for Agriculture to discuss the decision to reduce the per-ewe payment under the 2025 National Sheep Welfare Scheme.

Her call follows concerns that farmers had expected the previously signalled €13 per-ewe rate, a level introduced by former Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue.

The National Sheep Welfare Scheme is a one-year initiative designed to help farmers produce higher-quality animals while implementing practical and meaningful animal-welfare measures on farms.

Deputy McGreehan said: “Under the 2025 National Sheep Welfare Scheme, the per-ewe payment rate is €11.50, despite previous announcements that it would be €13.”

“This has left sheep farmers frustrated, disappointed, and financially exposed at a time when margins are already extremely tight.

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“Farmers entered this scheme in good faith, planning and budgeting on the basis of what they had been led to believe would be paid.

“To then see the payment reduced after plans have already been made is, in my view, unfair and deeply concerning. Stability and predictability are essential for farmers, particularly in a sector that has already endured years of price volatility, high input costs, and pressure on export markets.”

Deputy McGreehan said that the high level of interest in the scheme should be considered a positive signal rather than a problem: “The oversubscription to this scheme demonstrates its value and the clear need for such supports.

“Instead of seeing this as a difficulty, it should reinforce the importance of maintaining the promised payment level. If we continue down this path, we risk undermining farmer confidence in future schemes and, more importantly, jeopardising the viability of family sheep farms that sustain rural communities.”

She concluded: “Over the coming weeks, I will be seeking engagements with the Minister for Agriculture and departmental officials to convey the concerns farmers have shared with me.

“I will be emphasising the importance of aligning any decisions with both the commitments previously outlined and the realities facing this sector.”