Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 December 2023
444. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware of the widespread concerns of farmers regarding delays in the issue of some ACRES payments; if a partial payment can be issued for those applicants pending processing and finalising of all applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56096/23]
View answerIn 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, as a Government the decision was made to accept all valid applications submitted, and there are now just under 46,000 farmers actively involved in the Scheme.
The decision to accept all 46,000 applicants has put significant pressure on the ability to pay all participants in 2023.
I acknowledge the intensive, focused and collective effort from all concerned - from my Department, from advisors, from Co-operation Project Teams and from farmers - in working together on the first year of this new scheme. However, this decision to accept all applicants into Tranche 1 of ACRES has put significant pressure on the ability to pay all eligible participants in 2023.
I want to further acknowledge that farmers were expecting payment before the end of the year and that my officials have been working to expedite payments, but with the unprecedented numbers, it has not been possible to get all eligible applicants paid in ACRES by the year end.
Payments will commence on December 18th for ACRES general participants. 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 General participants who clear pre-payment checks. In addition, every effort will also be made to ensure that payments to Co-operation Project participants are processed as quickly as possible in early 2024. Partial payments are not a realistic alternative, as they would undermine the integrity of the ACRES payment system, and such expenditure would not meet the standards required to access EU funding in accordance with the new performance reporting obligations under the CAP Strategic Plan.
