The full addresses of farmers will not be listed by the Department of Agriculture when it publishes details of EU farm payments received by farmers in May.

Under EU regulations, details of all payments made to Common Agriculture Policy beneficiaries in 2014 must be published by member states before May 31st.

Some €1.8 billion was paid to 130,000 farmers and rural enterprises under CAP schemes last year.

Farmers had objected to the decision to publish the details, with some expressing concern that it could leave them open to attack by burglars.

It has now emerged that the Department of Agriculture will just publish the municipal district where a farmer lives, instead of the full address.

In most cases the municipal district would be the local town or local electoral area.

Farmers receiving less than €1,250 will not have their names published.

Instead, a number or code will be used alongside the payment received.