Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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2196. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the breakdown on the number of delayed ACRES payments, by county and by average duration of delay and the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42030/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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Following the latest Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) payment run over 99% of participants have had their 2023 payments finalised, almost 98% of participants have now received their 2024 advance payment (which is worth 85% of the total payment for 2024), while over 95% have also received the remainder of their 2024 payments which issue in the balancing payments.

Payments continue to issue on a weekly basis as cases pass validation checks. The following table provides details of the 2023 and 2024 Balancing payments that are currently yet to be paid. It should be noted that the 2024 figures are inclusive of cases that await 2023 balancing.

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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2197. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is aware that 396 farmers have yet to receive their final ACRES payment for 2023; when these payments will be paid; the reason for the continued delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42031/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, ACRES payments continue to issue on a weekly basis. More than 99% of participants have now had their 2023 ACRES payments finalised. It should also be noted that, of the remaining 246 participants, 38 received an interim payment, which may cover the contract value for the 2023 scheme year.

Nonetheless, it is a priority to resolve the 2023 scheme year payments that remain outstanding. The main cohort who await payment are those in a change of contract scenario, for example, those who have amended the status of their contract in some way such as through the formation of a partnership. Specific IT functionality is required to facilitate such changes, and this will be deployed over the coming weeks.

Payments will continue to issue on a weekly basis as cases pass validation checks. Furthermore, once a payment issues, that case will automatically move forward to the validation checks for the next assigned payment, for example a 2023 case will proceed to 2024 advance payment validations.

My Department will continue to provide weekly payment updates on its website.