Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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600. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine how he plans to prioritise improvements in farmer mental health and well-being supports, recognising the unique challenges faced by those in the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15293/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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This Government is prioritising farm safety, health and wellbeing through the appointment of a Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae T.D. with specific responsibility for the area and a Programme for Government that includes a specific focus on farm safety, mental health and well-being.

I secured dedicated funding of €2.5 million in Budget 2025 to build on previous efforts to improve the safety, health and wellbeing of our farming community. This funding will be used to deliver a range of initiatives, including ones focussing on farmer mental health and well-being, this year.

My Department, along with the HSE and the Department of Health, are continuing to co-fund a farmers physical and mental health awareness programme called ‘On Feirm Ground 2’. This programme is providing training for agricultural advisors, vets, Department staff and other professionals, to signpost farmers to supports in relation to health and wellbeing. 

Last year, I supported twenty farm safety, health and wellbeing projects under an Open Call, over half of which focused on farmer's mental health and wellbeing. The 2025 Open Call is being finalised and will include a call for projects focussing on mental health and wellbeing supports. 

Recognising the link between fatigue and farm safety, health and wellbeing, the HSA’s ‘Guidance on Managing Fatigue with Farm Work’ booklet will be distributed in the 2025 BISS packs.

Farm safety, health and wellbeing is a priority for me and my colleague Minister Healy-Rae.  This Government will continue to invest in supporting the health and wellbeing of farmers for their benefit, the benefit of their families and the rural communities in which they work and live in.

Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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601. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to address issues with the ACRES payment; if he will make an interim payment to help farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15294/25]

Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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602. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of farmers in Carlow and Kilkenny impacted by delays to ACRES payments to date; the number who still have not been paid; the reason for such delays; when payments are expected to conclude; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15295/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 601 and 602 together.

I can confirm that a total of 542 farmers with holdings in County Carlow are currently active participants in ACRES. Of this total, 197 farmers are currently awaiting their 2024 scheme year advance payments, of which 14 are also awaiting finalisation of 2023 payments.

With regard to County Kilkenny, 760 farmers are currently active participants in the scheme, with 212 participants currently awaiting finalisation of 2024 scheme year advance payments, 37 of whom are also awaiting finalisation of 2023 payments.

A total of €248 million has been paid to 43,032 participants, or 96% of all ACRES participants, in respect of their participation in the Scheme in 2023. A further 1,876 farmers have yet to receive their final payments for 2023. Of these, 1,603 have already received an interim payment of either €4,000 or €5,000 respectively, which in many instances will cover the entire payment due. 

Advance payments totalling €193.5 million have now been paid to 44,939 farmers in respect of their participation in ACRES in 2024.  This number of recipients represents 83% of all ACRES participants. Advance payments in respect of scheme participation in 2024 have still to be made to 9,316 ACRES participants across the two tranches.   

Certain issues such as transfers of contracts, late or non-submission of scorecards, and alignment of ACRES information with data held by the Department on other IT systems, have contributed to the delay in the making of those payments.  My Department is actively resolving the remaining issues through, for example, the development of the required IT functionality, the re-allocation of resources and the investigation of issues associated with specific contracts. In some cases, action is required by the participant to progress the payment claim.

My focus remains on getting all of the outstanding payments processed as quickly as possible, rather than diverting that focus away to the generation of interim payments which, in many cases, would result in overpayments to farmers and the recoupment by my Department of monies paid.

My Department's intention is to have the outstanding payments made by June 2025.  As cases are resolved, they are added to the next scheduled pay run.  In addition, my Department will continue to issue regular online updates over the coming period on the progress being made.