Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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832. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when payments in respect of a commonage and some farmers who are in the commonage area in acres will receive their payment in respect of the area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44261/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The ACRES participants have claimed commonage parcels in Sconce Upper and Ballyfin Upper, and both have been paid their 2024 BISS advance payments.

I can confirm that both herds received an interim payment in February. The full ACRES payments have now been processed for the 2023 scheme year, including for the commonage advised. In both cases, the interim payment exceeded the total contract value for the year, meaning that a repayment is due.

A summary report of the scores assigned has issued to both participants following the processing of their payments. These summaries are also available in the document manager of their AgFood accounts. The scorecard summary sets 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 any 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 in the relevant areas.

Advance payments in respect of participation in ACRES in 2024 are scheduled to commence by the end of November.