Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, Martin Heydon has confirmed that just under 12,000 herdowners are awaiting their 2025 Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) advance payments.

Minster Heydon's confirmation of the number of farmers awaiting 2025 ACRES advance payments comes following a parliamentary question posed by Independent Ireland TD, Michael Fitzmaurice.

Deputy Fitzmaurice asked the minister when the next payment run will be made for farmers who have not received their first ACRES payment for the scheme year 2025, and the number of herdowners not yet issued their first 2025 payment.

Minister Heydon responded: "Almost €700 million has been paid in respect of the core ACRES scheme to date (December 1, 2025) to ACRES participants.

"This includes almost €179.6 million which has issued in recent weeks in advance payments in respect of 2025."

ACRES

Minister Heydon also confirmed that a total of 41,734 participants, representing just under 78% of active participating herds, have now received their 2025 advance payments.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), there are currently just over 53,600 participants in ACRES.

The issuing of advance payments in respect of 2025 commenced on November 6, 2025, the minister outlined.

Minister Heydon also highlighted that his department is continuing to process payment claims to issue in the next scheduled pay run, and the schedule for future payments will be confirmed when finalised.

Payments

Separately, Deputy Fitzmaurice asked Minister Heydon to confirm if farmers in different schemes will get paid the "money they are owed before year end 2025?"

The Roscommon Galway TD also queried if DAFM had "enough funding to pay farmers" who are signed up to various schemes by the end of this year, and whether the minister "envisages a shortfall in any scheme".

In response, Minister Heydon said that DAFM's "gross voted allocation for 2025, including capital carryover, is €2.172 billion".

The minister said: "In addition, my department also received a Supplementary Estimate allocation of €98 million to address funding shortfalls for TB and ACRES.

Minister Heydon also detailed that out of this, the total allocation for livestock schemes is €131.7 million while a further €295 million has been allocated to ACRES.