Fuel income support scheme now open for farmers, agricultural, and forestry contractors
The €100m fuel income support scheme is now open for applicants.
The fuel income support scheme is now open for farmers, agricultural, and forestry contractors.
The scheme’s allocated funding, amounting to €100m, is in response to the sudden increase in the cost of marked gas oil.
The fuel income support scheme will cover the months of March up to the end of July, a critical time in the agricultural calendar. Under the scheme, there will be one payment per applicant to cover a full five-month period rather than monthly payments.
The scheme will remain open until May 27, with payments expected to be issued shortly after processing is complete.
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The total payment each applicant will receive will be calculated once all claims have been submitted. Currently, it is anticipated about 20cpl of the estimated usage over the five months will be the basis of the payment.
Eligibility for the scheme will be based on the use of marked gas oil for the primary production of agricultural products on the farm (including forestry) last year. Both farmers and agricultural and forestry contractors will be eligible to apply.
Applicants to the scheme will make a self-declaration of usage based on statements or receipts, which will be subject to risk-based checks.
Applicants eligible for the scheme must be an ‘active’ farmer, agricultural or forestry contractors or new entrant farmers, and will be asked to supply their usage for the 12 months of 2025 based on receipted expenditure.
Farmers can apply online via My AgFood, and contractors can download the necessary forms from the department’s website and submit completed forms and receipts to fuelsub@agriculture.gov.ie or to the postal address provided on the forms.
An eligible farmer for the scheme must have submitted a Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application in 2025 and was deemed as an active farmer in 2025, has continued to actively farm in 2026, and will submit a valid BISS application.
For intensive farming enterprises such as pigs or poultry, to be eligible for the scheme a farmer must be registered with the Department of Agriculture in 2025 as a producer and continue to do so in 2026.
Eligibility of new-entrant farmers in 2026 will be considered as long as they applied for a herd number on or before May 15 this year, and have submitted a BISS 2026 application and are deemed an active farmer.
An agricultural or forestry contractor eligible for the scheme is defined as an individual or company that provides agricultural or forestry services, is registered for VAT and is tax compliant, operated as an agricultural or forestry contractor in 2025, and continues to operate as a contractor in 2026.
New entrants to agriculture or forestry contracting in 2026 will be considered where they are VAT-registered and can provide receipts for marked gas oil purchased for use in 2026.
Details of the support scheme for fishers and aquaculture are expected to be announced shortly.
Applicants wishing to contact the department regarding the fuel income support scheme can phone the direct payments helpline on 057-8674422 or email fuelsub@agriculture.gov.ie. For more information on the scheme, visit the department’s website.
