Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, is open for applications and there is a great number of farmers keen to take part. Budget 2023 provided for up to 30,000 farmers to take part initially. The applications have been open since mid-October and will run until later in November. It is a very tight timeframe. Farmers are engaging planners and advisers to put together the application, but there is a scramble to make that date at the end of November. If advisers and planners want to go on-site and see the ground to put together the most informed plan, there is pressure with the number of applications, the weather, the late evenings and so on. Farmers are asking whether there is an opportunity to extend that tight deadline so that they can make the most informed plan and be engaged in that agri-climate scheme at the first possible opportunity.

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