EU Agricultural Ministers have agreed to proposals on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.
The deal follows two days of intense talks in Brussels, chaired by the Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney.
Irish farmers will still get 1.5 billion euro a year but, because of changes to the system, 60,300 Irish farmer will be up to 25% better off, while 53,500 will lose up to a fifth of their payments.
One of the key concerns for Irish farmers was changes to the single farm payment to a flat rate payment system – and the proposals give some flexibility to member states.
Pat O’Keeffe of the Irish Farmer’s Journal says organisations like the IFA will be happy that there is some flexibility in the agreement on issues such as "greening" – whereby farmers who comply with environmental measures are rewarded financially:
