The new Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine, Martin Heydon, is "more than aware of the challenges facing farming," according to the president of Macra.

Elaine Houlihan has welcomed his confirmation particularly as the organisation had had several engagements with Minister Haydon while he was a junior minister for agriculture in the last government.

Houlihan said: “I congratulate Deputy Heydon on his appointment as minister for agriculture and look forward to working with him and his team in the Department of Agriculture in the coming years.”

Minister Heydon, who is the Fine Gael TD for Kildare South replaced the Fianna Fáil TD for Donegal, Charlie McConalogue, who has not been appointed to a senior ministerial role in the new government.

During the general election campaign last year Minister Heydon told Agriland that it is “really important to every farming family that the farm is there as a viable option for your children to consider taking on for the next generation”.

He believes the issue of succession “comes back to income and the incentives and supports that are there for the young generation” to continue the family farm.

During the 2025 Irish Farmers Association's (IFA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) (Thursday, January 23) Houlihan criticised the Irish government for it's CAP allocation to young farmers.

“Our Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine allocates the bare minimum for young farmers, meaning that less than 2% of the Irish CAP funds, in total, are contributed to generational renewal, well below the EU average of more than 2.7%.

"Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan has severely under-delivered for measures with young farmers," she added.