Nolan questions capacity to deliver fuel subsidy payments

Published: Tue 14 Apr 2026, 2:20 PM

Independent TD for Offaly, Carol Nolan, has expressed deep scepticism about the Department of Agriculture’s capacity to deliver timely payments under the Government’s newly announced €100 million Fuel Subsidy Support Scheme for farmers, agricultural contractors and fishers.

“While any support for farmers facing crippling fuel costs is welcome in principle, the reality is that this package falls far short of what is needed and, more importantly, many farmers simply do not believe the Department of Agriculture will actually get the money out the door,” said Deputy Nolan.

“Even if this payment was enough, and it clearly is not, there is precious little confidence among farmers that it will be paid promptly or at all,” she continued.

“We are all aware of the significant delays in payments under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), which left many farm families waiting months, and in a significant number of cases, even years, for money they were promised and had budgeted for.

"This is not an isolated incident. Farmers have long experience of the Department announcing schemes with great fanfare only for delivery to be chaotic, cumbersome, delayed or incomplete.”

Deputy Nolan said the timing could not be more critical, coinciding as it does with the peak fuel usage season for spring and summer fieldwork.

“Farmers are filling tanks right now at record prices. They cannot wait months for a payment that was supposed to be backdated to March.

"Unfortunately, the Department’s track record on ACRES and previous schemes has left many in the agri-sector with zero faith that this money will reach them when they need it most,” she added.

“At this stage I do not think it is even possible for the Minister to give a cast-iron guarantee that these payments will be processed quickly and efficiently. This scheme will likely be yet another example of a Government announcement that delivers nothing on the ground for the people who actually produce our food,” concluded Deputy Nolan.