Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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164. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when the leadership practices inventory actions for the co-operation areas under ACRES will be finalised; and the reason for the three year delay. [6552/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I understand that the Deputy is referring to the Landscape Action element of the Co-operation approach of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES). ACRES was implemented on a phased basis in view of the high level of participation and the range of opportunities available under the Scheme, all of which required the development of new and extensive IT functionality.

Non-Productive Investments (NPIs) and Landscape Actions (LAs) are important elements of the ACRES scheme which aim to provide Co-operation participants with the opportunity to implement these complementary environmental actions as a mechanism for farmers to enhance the ecological status of their lands, thereby increasing their score and potential ACRES payment.

There have already been two application widows for NPIs, with decision letters for the 2023 NPI application window being issued in December 2024.

Regarding Landscape Actions, a provisional list of these actions was published on my Department’s website in October 2024. The drafting of specifications and costing of the actions is at an advanced stage. It will also be necessary to undertake an Appropriate Assessment as required under environmental legislation, with rollout currently estimated to take place in Quarter 2 or Quarter 3 of 2025.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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165. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of farmers who are waiting for the co-operation areas in ACRES to be finalised, by each co-operation area, in tabular form . [6553/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy has requested, the following table represents the number of farmers in each Co-operation zone awaiting the finalisation of ACRES payments for the 2024 scheme year.

As is the case with all EU co-funded schemes, claims for payments under ACRES must pass regulatory controls and validations before payment can issue.

My Department is continuing to investigate and progress all cases that have not yet received payments. Payment runs are scheduled every two weeks and cases will be added as they pass the required validation checks. I can assure you that everything is being done to pay, as soon as possible, all ACRES participants who clear the required pre-payment validation checks.