The new €25m funding for the sheep sector must not be tied into climate measures like the Beef Data and Genomics Programme, it has been urged.

Mr Kent said they also made it clear they did not want the crisis reserve fund being used for under-pressure dairy farmers at the expense of beef, sheep and grain farmers. “It really is robbing farmers to pay other farmers,” he said. The ICMSA warned a more proactive approach was needed to deal with the slump that was wiping out dairy farm incomes.