Payments to begin being issued for fuel income support scheme

Contractors are set to receive on average €4,000 and farmers a minimum of €600 in this batch of payments issued by the Government as part of the scheme

Approved applicants of the fuel income support scheme will begin receiving their lump sum payments from July 22.

Contractors are set to receive, on average, €4,000 in this batch of payments, with farmers receiving over €600 from the scheme.

Approved applicants of the fuel income support scheme will begin receiving their lump sum payments from July 22, but they may take several days to appear in nominated accounts.

Agriculture minister Martin Heydon said: “The fuel income support scheme was introduced as a targeted income support for farmers and agricultural contractors who had experienced unprecedented increases in fuel costs this spring.” 

The scheme was designed to support applicants for the five months from March to July 2026 following countrywide protests over the price of fuel as a result of the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. Payment is based on the equivalent of the five months of usage of the total litres of marked gas oil (MGO) used by an applicant in 2025, multiplied by 20 cents.

Mr Heydon: “I am delighted that €20.7m in payments have now commenced issuing to 29,464 farmers and contractors, and in the coming days they will see money arriving in their bank accounts.

"This is the first batch of farmers and contractors cleared for payment, and further payments will issue on an ongoing basis once cases are cleared. This scheme and the issuing of payments in a timely manner show that Government can and will support the agricultural industry through difficult times.” 

It is expected the total final payments under this scheme will be about €27m.

Mr Heydon added: “While many farmers and contractors will be paid in the coming days, I would urge anyone who has yet to respond to requests from my officials for information to please do so to allow their claim to be processed and finalised in a timely manner.” 

The minimum payment under this scheme is €100, and the maximum is €50,000. The department has said it anticipates about 3,500 applicants will not reach this payment threshold. Applicants who submitted MGO usage of less than 1,200 litres in 2025 will therefore not receive payment.

Cork has the largest number of applicants (4,350) of any other county and subsequently will be issued the largest payment of just over €3.15m. The second highest payment issued by county will be Tipperary, with over €1.7m across 2,180 payments, and Wexford will be issued the third highest of just over €1.4m spread across 1,523 payments.

Farmers and contractors wishing to contact the department regarding their Fuel Income Support payment can phone the direct payments helpline at 057-867 4422 or by email to [e-mail]