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Macra President Josephine O’Neill has issued a mixed reaction to Budget 2026, welcoming key investments and supports for rural communities and the agriculture sector, while strongly criticising the Government for once again failing to deliver meaningful measures to support generational renewal. Speaking after the Budget announcement, Ms. O’Neill stated: “There are aspects of today’s Budget that deserve to be acknowledged and welcomed. The extension of essential agricultural tax reliefs that Macra had sought including the 100% Young Trained Farmer Stamp Duty Relief, Farm Restructuring Capital Gains Tax Relief and Farm Consolidation Stamp Duty Relief along with Accelerated Capital Allowance for...

Macra National President Josephine O’Neill has called on the Government to ensure that this year’s National Budget delivers meaningful support for young farmers and rural communities, highlighting several key policy priorities that must be addressed if rural Ireland is to thrive into the future. Speaking ahead of Budget Day, Ms. O’Neill stated: “This Budget is a critical moment to show young people living and working in rural Ireland that their future matters. The decisions made now will determine whether the next generation can continue to farm, build communities, and sustain rural life. We need more than token gestures — we...

Macra proudly recognised the outstanding dedication, leadership, and volunteerism of its members at a special awards ceremony held following the National Training Day in the Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise, on Saturday, September 27th. The day featured the final of the Macra National Leadership Awards, where finalists completed a problem-solving session followed by individual interviews with the judging panel. Each finalist was honoured with a President’s Medal, with three exceptional members going on to receive the prestigious Macra National Leadership Awards. The evening also saw the presentation of the Volunteer of the Year Awards, which recognise the unsung heroes in clubs, counties...

The Land Mobility Service has welcomed today’s publication of the Commission on Generational Renewal’s report, while warning that delivery and funding of proven solutions will be critical to ensuring farming’s future. Service Manager Patrick Brady said the report highlights challenges that farmers and policymakers have long known: a lack of land access, succession barriers, and the urgent need to support the next generation. “There’s no need for the Government to reinvent the wheel. We have the service, it works, it works very well, just fund it,” said Brady. The Land Mobility Service, which has successfully facilitated over one thousand farm...

Macra National President, Josephine O’Neill, has today welcomed the long-awaited report of the Commission on Generational Renewal, describing it as a landmark for the future of Irish farming. While hopeful about the recommendations, she stressed that they must now be backed by action. “The publication of this report is a positive and necessary step,” O’Neill outlined. “For too long, the challenges facing young farmers have been spoken about but not acted on. This report lays out real, practical measures that could transform opportunities for the next generation. But unless they are delivered, they remain only words on paper.” Among the...