Dublin — 5 December 2025 — Payments under year three of the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) have begun issuing, with more than €47.06 million now being paid to 14,983 farmers, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed. The rollout covers over 94% of all current participants.
SCEP, co‑funded by the EU and the Irish Government under the CAP Strategic Plan 2023–2027, supports beef farmers in improving the environmental sustainability and genetic performance of the national suckler herd. The scheme builds on earlier initiatives such as the Beef Data and Genomics Programme and the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme (BEEP).
Payments Crucial for Beef Sector Stability
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon said farmers should see payments appear in their bank accounts in the coming days. He described the funding as “crucial to the beef sector and farm families,” adding that remaining cases will be processed “as a matter of urgency” once all documentation is submitted.
The Minister also urged participants to send any outstanding paperwork to the Department or the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) to avoid delays. He noted that €79 million has been issued across three beef schemes in the past 10 days, underscoring the Government’s commitment to rural Ireland.
County‑by‑County Breakdown
Payments are being distributed nationwide, with the largest allocations going to counties with the highest concentration of suckler farmers.
Key figures include:
- Galway: €5.29m (1,763 farmers)
- Clare: €4.42m (1,373 farmers)
- Mayo: €3.75m (1,474 farmers)
- Cork: €3.39m (1,077 farmers)
- Tipperary: €2.47m (632 farmers)
- Roscommon: €2.65m (894 farmers)
In total, €47,069,705.30 is being distributed across 14,983 beneficiaries.
Supporting Sustainability and Rural Livelihoods
SCEP aims to reduce emissions intensity in the beef sector by improving herd genetics, supporting data collection and encouraging more efficient breeding practices. The programme is a central pillar of Ireland’s CAP strategy, which seeks to balance food production, environmental protection and rural economic resilience.
Inquisitive-cows-on-Wikimedia-by-Richard-Croft
