Longford farmers to receive Sheep Welfare and Eco scheme payments

€154,300 has commenced issuing to 142 farmers in Longford, under the 2025 National Sheep Welfare Scheme.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD announced on Monday that payments totalling €16.44 million have started to issue to 13,175 farmers who are participants under the 2025 National Sheep Welfare Scheme.

Fine Gael TD Micheál Carrigy commented, “These payments are crucial to the sheep sector and farm families in Longford and I’m pleased that the Minister for Agriculture, Martin Heydon fought for and secured a further €22 million for a similar scheme in 2026.

“As a result of the oversubscription in the scheme, it was necessary to adjust the payment rate to €11.50 per ewe which is still a 44% increase from the €8 per ewe paid under the scheme in 2024. This is a good outcome for farmers."

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Minister Heydon said, “When combined with the €12 per ewe available under the CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) Sheep Improvement Scheme, this means sheep farmers in both schemes will receive up to €23.50 per ewe, an increase of 17.5% per ewe on last year’s combined payment."

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil Senator Joe Flaherty welcomed the recent allocation of over €3,139,000 to farmers in Longford under the Eco-Scheme.

The Eco-Scheme, part of Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027, rewards farmers for implementing measures that protect and enhance the climate, environment, water quality and biodiversity.

Senator Flaherty said, “Farmers are the backbone of our economy and our rural communities. They deliver world-class produce that supports international trade, and it is essential that they are supported in doing so.”

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He added, “The payment rate of €66 per eligible hectare will provide meaningful support to over 110,000 farmers nationwide, including 2,198 here in Longford. Fianna Fáil is steadfast in our support for a strong CAP that works for farmers, and we will continue to champion this at EU level.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme