Ireland - CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027.

The CAP Strategic Plan for Ireland supports the transition to a smart, sustainable, and resilient agricultural sector while aligning with the European Green Deal and EU CAP objectives. Given Ireland’s predominantly rural landscape—where 99% of the country is classified as rural or intermediate—it emphasizes regional development and food security. With 135,000 farms, mostly focused on livestock (especially beef and dairy), Ireland’s Plan addresses the imbalance between high productivity and low farmer income through more equitable financial support. The Strategy builds on proposals submitted and revised between 2021 and 2025, shaped by Commission feedback and stakeholder input.
Economically, the Plan aims to narrow the income gap between farmers and other sectors by capping high payments, redistributing support to smaller farms, and promoting crop diversification—especially protein crops. The fruit, vegetable, and apiculture sectors receive targeted support. To modernize agriculture, the Plan includes investments in digital farming. €590 million is allocated to small and medium farms, and €180 million to young farmers, ensuring future viability and generational renewal of farming. These measures are meant to enhance competitiveness while ensuring a fairer distribution of CAP funding.
Environmentally, the Plan tackles Ireland’s agricultural greenhouse gas emissions by enforcing strict good agricultural and environmental practices. These include restricting fertiliser and pesticide use near watercourses, preventing soil erosion, and conserving biodiversity-rich features like hedgerows and wetlands. €1.4 billion is committed to eco-friendly practices, such as reducing chemical nitrogen and increasing tree planting, with over €1.5 billion directed at a new scheme involving 50,000 farmers. Organic farming will receive €256 million to triple its land coverage, and 32% of farmland will be targeted for water quality improvements.
On the social front, the Plan addresses depopulation, ageing farmers, and gender inequality. It incentivizes young and women farmers through bonuses and targeted aid, including support for succession planning. Rural vitality is boosted through the LEADER programme, which allocates €180 million to 29 Local Development Strategies reaching 82% of the rural population. Animal welfare is another priority, with improvements planned for over 330,000 livestock units. Finally, Ireland invests in innovation and knowledge-sharing: 300,000 participants will receive training or advisory services, and over 10,000 advisors will be supported, helping farmers adopt climate-resilient and digital practices. The total budget exceeds €9.8 billion, with significant allocations to environmental goals, eco-schemes, and generational renewal.