Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is important to clarify that the Minister is saying that, aside from the five-year averaging option that just over 5,000 farmers avail of, which is a very small amount, that this is the only option available when they will receive these two payments. The five-year averaging option is the only option for farmers to try to reduce the tax they have to pay this year. If that is the case, the averaging option needs to be communicated to farmers and to ACRES participants because it is not their fault that the payments are coming late and that they are going to be paying more tax this year because the two payments will come this year rather than one last year and one this year.

The Minister and his Department were obviously generous in allowing the 46,000 in. The target was 30,000, that was what was supposed to go in. Approximately 9,000 have applied. Is the ceiling being kept to just allow 4,000 in? Will the Minister tell us how he will determine how those 4,000 will be chosen to come into ACRES? It is a real pity that when we have such a good scheme and farmers are willing to do it, and we are encouraging environmental practices on our farms, that a number of those who apply and who want to join the scheme will not be able to do so.

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