Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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509. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how much the aggregate total of payments to County Donegal farmers will change for each year of the current CAP due to convergence under the transition from the basic payments scheme to the basic income support for sustainability and the complementary redistributive income support for sustainability schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6469/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The attached table displays the total potential value for County Donegal entitlements from 2023 to 2027.

The figures provided in the table are calculated based on data from initial allocation figures from February 2023, and assume that all criteria for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) scheme are met, that entitlements are activated, all inspections are clear, and all terms and conditions are adhered to.

A figure of €7.8 million was paid to eligible farmers in Donegal in 2023 under Complementary Redistributive Income Support for Sustainability (CRISS). It is expected that a similar level of payment will be made in the years to 2027.

Capping (€60,000) on individual herds has not been applied, the figures are indicative of Entitlements values only.

Please note that the 2026 and 2027 figures are the same as convergence will not be applied in 2027.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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510. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers in County Donegal that have applied for the areas of natural constraints scheme, under the current CAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6470/24]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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511. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers in County Donegal that have been accepted on to the areas of natural constraints scheme, under the current CAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6471/24]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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512. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how much the aggregate total of payments to County Donegal farmers will be under the areas of natural constraint scheme, for each year of the current CAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6472/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 510 to 512, inclusive, together.

The Areas of Natural Constraints ("ANC") scheme provides payments to people farming land in designated areas that face significant hardship from factors such as remoteness, difficult topography, climatic problems, and poor soil conditions.

The table below outlines the information requested by the Deputy for ANC scheme year 2023.

It should be noted that applicants accepted and remaining unpaid have not met scheme eligibility criteria and are therefore ineligible for payment.

ANC scheme eligibility criteria include:

• Hold ANC designated land in accordance with the provisions of Article 32 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013, as provided for under Article 71 of Regulation (EU) No 2021/2115.
• Meet the minimum stocking requirement of 0.10 livestock units per forage hectare

The ANC scheme is an annual scheme and must be applied for each year using the online Basic Income Support for Sustainability (“BISS”) application. Applications for future ANC CAP years i.e. 2024-2027 can be made from February in the scheme year an applicant is applying for. As such, the DAFM are currently unable to reliably forecast the payments for these years.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The persons named were approved into Tranche 1 of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), with a contract commencement date of 1 January 2023.

I can confirm that the ACRES claim for the persons named is progressing through the necessary validation checks, and officials are working to facilitate payment as soon as possible.

I fully appreciate the frustration felt by farmers experiencing payment delays and their concern regarding uncertainty of payments, and I want to reassure you that everything is being done to pay all ACRES applicants as a matter of priority.

However, given that a further period of time is required to complete this work, I have taken action to issue an interim, nationally funded payment, to farmers affected across ACRES General and Co-operation.