Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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11. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide an update on the latest developments regarding ACRES applications to date; when it is envisaged that ACRES applicants will be informed as to whether they have been accepted for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11237/23]

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Will the Minister of State provide an update on the latest developments regarding ACRES applicants? When is it envisaged ACRES applicants will be informed as to whether they have been accepted into the scheme?

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. When the question was tabled, the matter to which it relates was topical for all farmers. Thankfully, we have had good progress since then, allowing me to give the Deputy a positive response.

The agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, is the central agri-environment climate measure in Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023-2027. It is a flagship agri-environmental scheme that will pay farmers €1.5 billion over its lifetime. ACRES will play a significant role in driving environmental improvements while also providing a crucial income support to farm families. It accounts for the largest sum ever committed to an agri-environment scheme.

As the Deputy may be aware, some 46,200 farmers applied for entry into the first tranche of ACRES. We were pleased last week to announce the acceptance of all valid applications received for the first tranche of the scheme. The formal approval letters are being posted out to successful applicants this week. An approval summary, which will show where actions have been mapped on participants' farms, will be posted to ACRES participants by the end of March with a copy of the farmland plant identification guide. This guide is a booklet developed by the Department to help farmers identify the indicator species on their land to be used in the scoring process.

Because it was initially intended 30,000 applications would be accepted for the first tranche of the scheme, the acceptance of all valid applications submitted under that tranche will present challenges, given both approaches within the scheme require the scoring of lands for results-based actions within a set period and the submission of the scores by a deadline to enable the making of advance payments in the fourth quarter of this year.

Given the significant level of interest among applicants in participating in the scheme at the earliest opportunity, I look forward to the focused efforts and co-operation from all involved to enable its smooth running. Subject to ACRES participants undertaking the actions in accordance with their ACRES contract and the scheme specifications, and submitting their claim for payment as part of their application for the basic income support for sustainability scheme, BISS, advance payments in respect of ACRES contracts are scheduled to issue in the fourth quarter of this year.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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In respect of payments to issue in the fourth quarter of 2023, the Minister of State referred to set periods. After the initial payment, for what kind of period will farmers be required to deal with the scheme?

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The advance payment is one feature of our payments system that we have managed to handle very well until now. It is a key component that farmers are used to but, obviously, a lot of pressure is being put on our system with that. Among the applications that have been submitted, I am not sure off the top of my head what the advance payment amounts to but we are going to get it in during the fourth quarter of the year. Getting that payment in early is important because the basic premise of the payments relates to costs incurred and income forgone, and farmers will incur costs this year by signing up to ACRES and we need to get that money back to them as quickly as can. We will try to get that payment to them in as timely a manner as possible.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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In regard to the set period, that engagement will continue after the fourth quarter of this year. What kind of plan does the Department have for continuing that process after the fourth quarter?

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The advance payment will be paid in the fourth quarter and the balance will be paid in early 2024. One point that is of key concern to farmers is that the decision letters are scheduled to issue from 8 March, yesterday. A certain number of applications were found to be invalid and a decision letter, notifying applicants of any rejections, giving the reason for the rejection and providing a facility for the decision to be reviewed, will be posted to those applicants. Farmers will have a certain number of days from the date of the approval letter to advise the Department as to whether they wish to proceed. It is all going to happen for farmers this week. Letters started to be posted yesterday and farmers will get that clarification. Unfortunately, a few are ineligible. They will be notified of that and the next steps will be outlined clearly for them.

This is very positive news. Farmers have demonstrated a great ambition to sign up in large numbers, more than was predicted by many people in the sector, for an agri-environmental scheme. I am delighted we have this challenge of dealing with a significant level of ambition for farmers to be part of this agri-environmental scheme, and I look forward to seeing a successful ACRES programme over the lifetime of the CAP.