Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Over the five-year period, the funding we have profiled for ACRES is sufficient to meet the needs of 50,000 applicants. Over the course of the next year we will get to that 50,000 figure and obviously we will then have to assess how many more farmers are in the scheme and monitor that as it goes forward. In terms of next year's budget, we will be bringing it up to the 50,000 and we have agreement and budgets in place to be able to fully fund those 50,000 farmers. It is really encouraging, but not surprising, to see the uptake because there is significant extra funding in ACRES in comparison to the previous scheme, green low-carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS. There has been a 50% increase in ACRES funding and a 50% increase in the overall funding pot. The scheme has been well received. The scoring and the provision of extra time for that has worked well. Advisers have done great work and farmers are stepping up very strongly. I assure the Deputy that there is full funding there to meet the needs of 50,000 applicants ,but it is capped at 50,000 as things stand.

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