Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 November 2023
121. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine what his Department can do to remedy the situation for our young farmers who will be locked out of the acres scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50195/23]
View answerThe Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme, or ACRES, is the central agri-environment climate measure in Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027. It is a flagship agri-environmental project with funding of €1.5bn committed over the scheme lifetime. This is the largest amount ever committed to an agri-environment scheme. ACRES will play a huge role in driving environmental improvements while also providing crucial income support to farm families.
Details of the application process for Tranche 2 of ACRES were announced on 12 October 2023. Farmers and their ACRES advisors can now commence some of the associated preparatory work, namely the submission of an Expression of Interest and the preparation of the Farm Sustainability Plan. The final step in the process of submitting the application will be available shortly.
While the Terms and Conditions for Tranche 2 of ACRES are not yet published, an Overview document in respect of ACRES Tranche 2 is currently available on my Department's website. This Overview document gives some key information on Tranche 2 in advance of the publication of the final Terms and Conditions and is, with other relevant information, available at gov.ie - Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) (www.gov.ie)
As stated in the Overview document, one of the eligibility requirements for a farmer to participate in Tranche 2 of ACRES is the submission of a Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) application for 2022. A further requirement is that all lands must also be declared in the applicant’s 2023 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application (and declared on the applicant’s BISS application for all subsequent years of participation). A farmer who does not have a BPS 2022 or BISS 2023 will not therefore be eligible for Tranche 2 of ACRES.
