Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme, or ACRES, is the central agri-environment climate measure in Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan (CSP) 2023-2027. It is a flagship agri-environmental project with funding of €1.5bn committed over the scheme lifetime. This is the largest amount ever committed to an agri-environment scheme.

Tranche 1 of ACRES opened for applications on 17th October 2022, and closed on 7th December 2022. The closing date was extended by two weeks to facilitate the workload of advisors and to ensure receipt of the best quality applications possible. Following engagement with relevant stakeholders I was pleased to announce that all eligible applications were admitted into Tranche 1.

An approval letter issued to all applicants from 8th March 2023. It was advised in this letter to contact the ACRES Section in writing or by email, within 14 calendar days from the date of the approval letter; otherwise, it was taken that the applicant had accepted the offer and associated Terms & Conditions.

ACRES Circular No. 12/2022 which issued to all farm advisors prior to the closing date of Tranche 1 made it clear that once an application had been submitted in full, it would not be possible to make further changes. It is not possible to reopen applications or to make amendments and additions to the actions included at the time of application.

It is anticipated that payments for Tranche 1 that have passed all validations will commence in late November, and will continue to issue on a weekly basis.

All necessary material to enable ACRES payments to be calculated need to be provided to my Department by advisors on behalf of their clients. In addition, each participant is required to complete a training course in the first year of their contract. I would urge all advisors and farmers to ensure that all outstanding requirements are fulfilled in order to facilitate the earliest possible payment of participants.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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91. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with reference to his Department’s July 2023 solar PV registered installer list, the number of PV installer registration forms received and accepted by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47016/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) provides grants to farmers to build and/or improve a specified range of farm buildings and equipment on their holdings.

My Department maintains a registered list of competent installers to carry out solar PV installations under TAMS 3. The latest version of the list is available on the Department’s website. Versions of the list has been posted on the Department’s website since 2019, when grant aid was made available for solar PV installations across all farming enterprises.

The current up to date total number of registered PV installers now stands at 187 compared to 171 installers included in the July 2023 list.

The safety of Solar PV systems, both at installation phase and for subsequent use by applicants of the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3) is of paramount importance, and standards set out in technical specification S198 - Minimum Specification for the Installation of Solar PV Systems,which cover all relevant electrical and structural standards must be met.

My Department also required that Solar PV installers must sign off on a testing and commissioning report confirming that the system is ready for electricity generation in a safe manner in line with the latest applicable electrical standards.