To date, payments have been made to over 19,000 farmers under the Sheep EID Tag Subsidy Scheme, totalling €1.4m. The 2018 sheep census shows there are approximately 35,000 registered flocks in the country.

Under the scheme, there is a €1 subsidy for each electronic tag purchased in the first electronic sheep tag order, up to a maximum payment of €100 per person. A minimum order of 10 electronic tags is required.

Farmers who have not ordered sheep tags from 1 October 2018 are encouraged to place and complete their first order for electronic tags by 30 September 2019 to avail of the grant.

Tags purchased after that date will not be eligible.

Farmers do not need to apply for the scheme. All completed tag orders are assessed automatically by the Department’s systems for eligibility, with payments made automatically in four quarterly tranches.