Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 December 2022
715. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of agri climate rural environment scheme general approach applications that have been received by his Department to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60349/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is the agri-environment climate measure in Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023 – 2027. It is the successor to the Green Low Carbon Agri-environment Scheme (GLAS) which was available under Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.
ACRES is a voluntary scheme whereby farmers, when approved into the Scheme, will undertake certain actions on their land for at least five years.
There are two approaches available to farmers under ACRES, namely the ACRES General approach and the ACRES Co-operation approach depending on the location of their holding. The Government has committed €1.5 billion to ACRES over its duration with the aim of facilitating the participation of 50,000 farmers.
The intake into the scheme will be phased, with at least two tranches. This will help to spread the workload on advisors and enable them to allocate sufficient time for the preparation of applications, the completion of the Farm Sustainability Plans and selection of appropriate actions.
Tranche 1 of ACRES opened for applications on Monday 17th October 2022 with the aim of securing a total of 30,000 ACRES contracts. As of Monday 5th December, 31,700 applications had been submitted with 17,295 submitted for ACRES General and 14,404 for ACRES Co-operation. The scheme will remain open for applications until 23:59 on Wednesday 7th December after which further updates on application numbers will be available.
