Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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1267.To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a 2023 Acres scheme payment will issue to a farmer in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.[34978/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Following examination of this case, my Department has identified that the person named on the ACRES application had passed away before the application had been formally submitted. Due to this the application is null and void and no payment will issue.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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1268.To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his officials will review the Acres cooperation scheme commonage score card in respect of a 500-acre commonage in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.[34981/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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An application was received in the name of this herd owner for the Co-Operation stream of ACRES. An interim payment issued to the person named in February, and the final 2023 ACRES payment has been calculated.

The final payment is based on the scores assigned in respect of the results-based assessments on private land, including commonage parcels, where relevant, and any approved ACRES actions included in the contract.

Lands entered into the scheme must be scored three times over the duration of the scheme, with years 1, 3 and 5 the default scoring years. However, participants may notify my Department through their annual Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) declaration if they wish to amend these years or to be scored in additional years.

A summary report on the scores assigned has issued to all participants following the issue of their payment, including the person named. As advised previously, the scorecard summary will set out the scores achieved for each parcel, with management tips on how to maintain or improve the score achieved, and hence potentially increase payments in subsequent years.

If the participant has a query regarding their commonage assessment score, they should contact the relevant CP Team who carried out the assessment and scoring of commonage for those in ACRES Co-operation areas. The contact details for the CP Team are:

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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1269.To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1710 of 23 July 2024, when the Acres cooperation scheme score cards will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[34995/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the scorecards themselves are available on my Department's website, I will take it that the Deputy is asking when ACRES participants will be in receipt of their own 2023 scores.

A summary report on the scores assigned is issued to all participants following the processing of their payment. As advised previously, the scorecard summary will set out the scores achieved for each parcel, with management tips on how to maintain or improve the score achieved, and hence potentially increase payments in subsequent years.

These summaries are made available to farmers in the document manager in their AgFood account, followed by a hard copy by post. As of 28 August 2024, 24,373 scorecard reports have been uploaded to Agfood and almost all have been issued by post. In addition, 6,300 commonage scorecard reports have been uploaded and will be posted to ACRES participants by mid-September.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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1270.To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision on a 2024 fodder support scheme application will be reviewed in respect of a farmer in County Kerry (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.[35014/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Fodder Transport Support Measure was introduced on 9th April this year to provide targeted support to farmers, who had to purchase fodder over longer distances in light of the prolonged and unfavourable weather conditions at the time. The support measure is operated by my Department in conjunction with the Co-operative organisation, which was clearly out lined in the Terms and Conditions of the Support Measure.

Support was provided via a financial contribution towards the transport cost of eligible fodder purchased during the period 1 April - 15 May.

The person named contacted my department on 17th May to state that they had purchased fodder via a feed merchant not part of the Co-operative structure. They subsequently submitted the application for Fodder Support, which on validation was rejected. The person named was notified of this decision on 6th August, and advised of their right to seek an appeal via the Independent Agricultural Appeals Office.