Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 February 2024
450. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 116 of 31 January 2024, when his Department will have the IT system in place to pay those persons who are part of a partnership arrangement (details supplied) who have applied under ACRES; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7527/24]
View answerThe persons named were approved into Tranche 1 of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) General Stream, with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2023.
Following the commencement of advance payments to ACRES General participants last December, work has continued on the processing of further ACRES General advance payments, and on the preparation of payments to ACRES Co-operation participants. Every effort continues to be made to ensure that all of these payments can be issued as quickly as possible.
The work to facilitate payment for partnership claims is ongoing and is a priority, but is likely to take a further period to complete. In these circumstances, it has been decided to make an interim, nationally-funded, payment to farmers affected across ACRES General and Co-operation. The rate of this interim payment will be €4,000 for those in ACRES General and €5,000 for those in ACRES Co-operation Project. I can also confirm that the interim payment will be made to farm partnerships who have not yet received their 2023 ACRES advance. It is anticipated that this payment will issue by the end of this month.
