Farmer's Association: first budget we haven't suffered cuts in

The Irish Farmers Association says Budget 2014 represents the first in five Budgets where farmers haven't suffered new cut backs.

The IFA says that while there have been some reversals to previous cuts, there is no new agri-environment scheme for farmers subject to restrictions.

"After five years of very severe cuts, certainly this year it's the first Budget that there was no new cuts introduced," said John Bryan, President of the IFA.

"There was a small reversal of the cuts to the suckler welfare scheme [for cattle farmers] – but for farmers in [restricted] designated areas, they won't be happy with this budget."

The Agri-Environment Option Scheme, which had been hoped for, previously supplied up to €4,000 per year to farmers who agreed to certain environmentally-friendly practices.