Sheep farmers in hill areas are to get special financial aid this year to help them through current difficulties.
About 14,000 hill farmers will share €7m in Upland Sheep Payments.
The farmers will get €35 per hectare with a maximum payment of €525.
The money is coming from EU funds that have not been spent.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Brendan Smith said he recognised the difficulties and costs facing the sheep sector and was anxious to introduce a scheme immediately so that Irish sheep farmers could benefit from the funds this year.
Mr Smith said he was one of the first ministers in Europe to press for unspent funds from national Single Farm Payment ceilings to fund measures that targeted specific sectors in need of assistance.
Payments will begin on 1 December.
However, Irish Farmers' Association President Padraig Walshe said today's announcement falls far short of Government promises to the sheep sector.
While welcoming the allocation of funds from the National Reserve, Mr Walshe said Minister Smith had failed to deliver on the Government promise to all sheep producers made by his predecessor, Minister Mary Coughlan, when she announced a package of €28m as far back as May 2007.
