Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, a flagship environmental scheme, namely the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), was launched last year under the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027. There was exceptional demand for entry into the Scheme, which demonstrates the interest of farmers to take on actions to address climate, biodiversity and environmental issues.

While it was initially planned to take in applicants in two Tranches, with 30,000 in Tranche 1, as a Government the decision was made to accept all valid applications submitted, and there are now just under 46,000 farmers actively involved in the Scheme.

The decision to accept all 46,000 applicants has put significant pressure on the ability to pay all participants in 2023.

I do acknowledge the intensive, focused and collective effort from all concerned - from farmers, from my Department, from advisors and from Co-operation Project Teams - in working together on the first year of this new scheme. However, this decision to accept all applicants into Tranche 1 of ACRES has put significant pressure on the ability to pay all eligible participants in 2023.

I want to further acknowledge that farmers were expecting payment before the end of the year, and that my officials have been working to expedite payments, but with the unprecedented numbers, it has not been possible to get all eligible applicants paid in ACRES by the year end.

Payments will commence on December 18^thfor ACRES General participants. Due to the additional complexity associated with the Co-operation Project (CP) stream, payments for ACRES CP participants are being progressed and will begin to issue in February 2024.

Everything is being done to pay all ACRES applicants who clear pre-payment checks as a matter of priority.