Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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243. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to confirm the payment date for the fodder transport measure support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37080/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Fodder Transport Support Measure was introduced on 9th April to provide targeted support to farmers, who had to purchase fodder over longer distances.

This support measure was an emergency response to the adverse and prolonged wet weather conditions and the negative impact this was having on fodder stocks on holdings throughout the country.

The measure was operated in conjunction with the Co-operative movement and as outlined in the Terms and Conditions of the measure, a bulk payment will issue to each participating Co-operative in respect of associated and verified individual claims.

A total of 682 applications were received by my department, for which a number of administrative checks are required to be completed before any bulk payments to participating Co-operatives can be considered. Immediately on completion of all checks, bulk payments will commence issuing to Co-operatives and individual claimants will be notified.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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244. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when an ACRES payment will issue for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37141/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The person named submitted an application under the ACRES Co-operation stream, and was approved into Tranche 1 of the scheme. An interim payment issued to the person named on 28^th February 2024.

The balancing payment claim associated with this herd has not yet cleared all the necessary validations. Department officials are actively examining the case to allow the payment to be made as quickly as possible.

My Department wrote to all recipients of the interim payment at the end of February/early March 2024 to advise that their final ACRES Year 1 payments would be based on the ACRES actions approved in their contract. Should the ACRES payment due for 2023 to the person named exceed €5,000, they will receive the difference as their 2023 ACRES balancing payment.

If the ACRES balancing payment due is less than the interim payment received, the difference between the interim and balancing payment will be posted on their AgFood account as an ACRES overpayment, and the person named will receive a letter outlining their options for repayment in this regard.