Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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378. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the expected average annual payment for farmers participating in the agri-climate rural environmental scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52514/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023 – 2027, the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme or ACRES has been developed. ACRES is now open for applications until 21st November 2022.

ACRES is expected to deliver significant long-term environmental improvement through participation by a significant number of farmers in the Scheme. Using a habitats-based approach, delivered through both multi-functional prescription and results-based actions, ACRES aims to contribute significantly to achieving improved biodiversity, climate, air and water quality outcomes.

The Scheme has two approaches:

- ACRES Co-operation Project (CP), which applies in eight mapped zones that are areas of high nature value, hold significant carbon stores and are home to some of the most pristine waters in the country. Farmers participating in this approach will have the assistance of a local Co-operation Project (CP) Team, who will assist with implementation of the scheme at local level.

- ACRES General, for all other farmers not falling within CP Zones.

Based on learnings from other results-based schemes trialled by the Department and experience in GLAS, the average annual payment is estimated to be approximately €7,000 for farmers in the ACRES CP measure and €5,000 for farmers in the ACRES General measure.

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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379. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers whose participation in GLAS will expire in the current calendar year; the number of farmers expected to be accommodated in the new agri-climate rural environment scheme; the funding available for this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52515/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is the agri-environment climate measure which forms part of Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan 2023 – 2027 and is the successor to the Green Low Carbon Agri-environment Scheme (GLAS) which was available under Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. 

I was pleased, given the delay in negotiating and finalising the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and associated regulations for the next CAP period, to have been able to offer GLAS participants an extension to the end of 2022. While over 43,500 GLAS contracts remain active, all will expire on 31 December 2022.

The Government has committed €1.5bn to ACRES over its duration, which is the largest amount ever committed to an agri-environment scheme. The budget allocation will facilitate the participation of 50,000 participants in ACRES overall. Farmers may apply for one of the approaches available under ACRES, namely the ACRES General approach or the ACRES Co-operation approach depending on the location of their holding. 

It is currently envisaged that the split will be 30,000 participants in ACRES General and 20,000 participants in ACRES Co-operation – this will, however, be ultimately subject to the level of interest in each approach. The intake into the scheme will be phased, with at least two tranches, to spread the workload on advisors and enable them to allocate sufficient time for the preparation of applications, and the completion of the Farm Sustainability Plan (FSP) and selection of appropriate actions.