Seven farmers received over €200,000 in direct payments while a further 18 received between €150,000 and €200,000, figures from the Department of Agriculture reveal.

The highest direct payment in 2021 went to Michael and Gabriel Hoey, who received €230,500 in direct payments.

The Hoey brothers own the Country Crest farm at Rathmooney, Lusk, Co Dublin.

The second highest payment went to O’Shea Farms, with payments totalling just over €219,000. The Kilkenny farm produces carrots and potatoes.

Hot on their heels was Co Kildare’s Godolphin Ireland UC, which received €218,800 in direct payments and a further €2,586 in ANC payments.

Founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Godolphin’s Irish base is Kildangan Stud, located just outside of Kildare town and extends to almost 1,500ac.

In total, Godolphin’s operation in Ireland comprises of five farms in Co Kildare, one in Co Meath and two in Co Tipperary.

Coming in fourth on the list is Greenhills Dairies, a dairy farm in east Cork, which claimed a payment of €212,300.

Branganstown Farms Ltd in Co Louth received a payment of €204,400.

This Louth farm is directed by Larry Goodman and members of his family.

The last two payments exceeding €200,000 were Castlecor Potatoes, Co Cork, and Park Farms Partnership in Co Carlow, with €203,000 and €202,900, respectively.

Kevin, Martin and Bríd Byrne from Co Kildare are next on the list, their direct payment totalled €192,900.

Rounding out the top 10 highest beneficiaries listed are John and Peter Queally of Dawn Meats, who received €190,750 and Hans Weiner Meis from Galway with €189,100.

The figures relate to total direct payments received in the 2021 EU financial year, which ran from 16 October 2020 to 15 October 2021.

They exclude ANC, GLAS and TAMS payments, which are also published on the CAP beneficiaries database.

Payments in Northern Ireland

With a large farm estate that includes a 2,500ac hill farm in Co Antrim, the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) remains top of the Northern Ireland (NI) list, with direct payments of €269,451.

Across 23,901 claimants in NI, the average payment is €15,000, and there are 32 farm businesses that received payments over €150,000.

However, farms in Britain are significantly larger, with the average Scottish farm receiving €36,870 and the average in England at €30,000.

A total of 19 farm businesses in Britain received over €1m. Heading the list is the National Trust with direct payments of €3.61m, followed by Dyson Farming Ltd on €3.42m.