The anaerobic digestion (AD) sector is set to receive €40m in funding, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue told farmers at the Donegal IFA AGM earlier this week.

However, no further details were given and it remains unclear if this funding is in addition to the €24m allocated under the National Development Plan and €12m allocated under Budget 2023.

The Government’s slow progress and lack of support for the AD sector were highlighted at the AGM, citing that this was holding up an important solution to deal with slurry as the new slurry movement rules come into force.

The consultation to the National Biomethane Strategy closed this week, which will inform the roadmap on how 200 AD plants will be built by the end of the decade.

Previous estimates suggested that in order to meet these targets, Government support to the tune of €1bn would be needed.