Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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396. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reasons for the delay in paying farmers the ECO payment that is due to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9154/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Eco-schemes were introduced for the first time in early 2023 and to date my Department has issued Eco-Scheme payments to over 116,000 farmers since advance payments commenced on 31 October 2023. This represents the vast majority of farmers who are expected to receive the payment. The total amount issued in Eco-Scheme payments to date is €298,336,621.

Eco-scheme payments are continuing each week and outstanding payments will issue immediately as final checks and processing have been completed. There are a variety of reasons why farmers may not have received payment yet - for example some have applied under temporary reference numbers which must be resolved or some may have chosen to use 2023 stocking rate data and so the full year must be observed for validation. Staff in my Department continue to work to clear these payments as quickly as possible.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The person named submitted an application to my Department under the 2023 Complementary Income Support for Young Farmers. Processing of this application is ongoing as there are some remaining eligibility and verification checks to be carried out. A member of staff of my Department will be in direct contact with the person named where there is further information required regarding the application.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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398. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when his Department will issue an ECO payment due to a person (details supplied); the reason this payment is being withheld; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9245/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The application for the herd number you provided was submitted using a Temporary Reference Number. Applications made under Temporary Reference Numbers are currently being integrated into the Eco-Scheme IT system and are undergoing processing and validation checks. Once cleared for payment, this herd number will receive their Eco-scheme payment.