Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 February 2024
396. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reasons for the delay in paying farmers the ECO payment that is due to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9154/24]
View answerEco-schemes were introduced for the first time in early 2023 and to date my Department has issued Eco-Scheme payments to over 116,000 farmers since advance payments commenced on 31 October 2023. This represents the vast majority of farmers who are expected to receive the payment. The total amount issued in Eco-Scheme payments to date is €298,336,621.
Eco-scheme payments are continuing each week and outstanding payments will issue immediately as final checks and processing have been completed. There are a variety of reasons why farmers may not have received payment yet - for example some have applied under temporary reference numbers which must be resolved or some may have chosen to use 2023 stocking rate data and so the full year must be observed for validation. Staff in my Department continue to work to clear these payments as quickly as possible.
