Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Last December, 2023, almost 4,300 farmers in the Co-operation Project (CP) stream, applied for 43,910 Non-productive Investments (NPIs) as part of their participation in my Department’s agri-environment scheme, ACRES. This reflects the huge interest farmers continually demonstrate in supporting the habitats and species found on their farms. NPIs - using the right action in the right place - can contribute to the maintenance of nature in Ireland’s diverse landscape, increase the field scores achieved in ACRES, and, in turn, increase payments to farmers under the Scheme.

All NPIs submitted to my Department during the application process are now being screened by the ACRES Co-operation Project Teams. This screening is carried out under Appropriate Assessment regulations and there are statutory requirements involved, such as notifying the National Monuments Service. The purpose of this important step is to consider the potential impact that any action - on its own, or in combination with other planned actions - may have on the surrounding landscape and environment. Any NPIs that are determined to have a detrimental impact on the countryside will be given an adverse screening decision, and will not be approved by my Department. This is the first step in the approval process. Work is ongoing in this regard and will continue for the coming months, as planned.

The second step is for my officials to consider the whole application for NPIs, including the screening decisions. The final decision will be communicated in writing to participants, with these approval letters issuing to farmers in the second half of this year. On approval, farmers may then commence any actions they choose, providing they are carried out at the time and in the manner set out in the NPI specifications, which are available on my Department’s website.

For the avoidance of doubt - and I cannot stress this enough - farmers must not carry out any NPI unless they have been approved to do so. Any actions carried out without approval, or before approval is received, will be at the farmer’s own expense and no payment will be made for these actions. I would also like to advise the Deputy that receipts for items purchased in connection with NPIs must be retained (dated after approval), and photos of the delivered action, submitted via AgriSnap, may be required. Details on claiming payment for NPIs delivered will be published later.

As the deputy is also aware I am making every effort to ensure that the ACRES core payment can be issued as quickly as possible to ACRES participants and I have decided to make an interim, nationally-funded, payment to those farmers who have not yet received a payment across ACRES General and Co-operation participants.

The rate of this interim payment will be €4,000 for those in ACRES general and €5,000 for those in ACRES Co-operation Projects. It is my intention to have this interim payment delivered to those farmers affected across ACRES General and Co-operation by the end of this month.