Michael Healy-Rae
Question:177. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will review a matter (details suppled); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55486/23]
View answerWednesday, 13 December 2023
Questions (177, 179)
Michael Ring
Question:179. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payments will issue to farmers in the agri-climate rural environment scheme for the cooperation project stream considering that participants believed they would be paid in late November; the reason for the delay in payments issuing; how many participants are impacted by his Department's delay and provide figures for same, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55496/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 179 together.
In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, a flagship environmental scheme, namely, the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), was launched last year. There was exceptional demand for entry into the Scheme, which demonstrates the interest of farmers to take on actions to address climate, biodiversity and environmental issues.
While it was initially planned to take in applicants in two Tranches, with 30,000 in Tranche 1, a decision was made by the Government to accept all valid applications submitted, and there are now just under 46,000 farmers actively involved in the Scheme.
The burden of developing brand new administration and IT systems to accept all 46,000 applicants has put significant pressure on the ability to pay all participants in 2023.
Officials have been working to expedite payments, but with the unprecedented numbers, it has not been possible to get all participants paid in ACRES by the year end. Payments will commence on December 18th with two thirds of all ACRES General participants in the final stages of being processed for payment in the initial payment run. Due to the additional complexity associated with the Co-operation Project (CP) stream, payments for ACRES CP participants are being progressed and will begin to issue in February 2024.
Everything is being done to pay, as soon as possible, all ACRES participants who clear pre-payment checks.