The National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS) will see the addition of an third action to be completed by farmers in order to avail of the new payment rate of €13/ewe.

Funding was secured in Budget 2025 for €25/ewe payments in 2025 across the two sheep schemes - the NSWS and the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) - which is an increase from €20 in the previous year.

While the SIS will remain at €12/ewe, the €5/ewe increase comes in the NSWS, which will see its payment rate - completed actions - increase from €8/ewe to €13/ewe.

However, farmers will have to complete three actions instead of two, under proposals from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Last year, farmers selected two options, one from each of two categories.

Last year the categories were:

Category A:
Category B:

The department is now proposing to add footbathing of ewes as a fifth potential option.

This option would be included in category B, while clostridial vaccination would move into category A.

Sheep farmers would then select two options from category A and one option from category B.

While these proposals have not been signed-off on by the department yet, the new suite of options as currently proposed would be as follows:

Category A (select two actions):
Category B (select one):

It is understood that footbathing would have to be carried out twice a year in order for the action to be considered complete.

In effect, each action in Category A is costed at €4/ewe, while each action in Category B is costed at €5/ewe. The combination of measures to be selected will offer sheep farmers €13/ewe.

It is understood that the department and farm organisations are in talks to finalise the details of the scheme.

Source have indicated that farm organisations are on board with these proposals. However, some flexibilities and clarifications are being sought.

These are understood to be around the mandatory nature of three actions (as opposed to two previously), and determining the reference number of sheep on farms.