The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed that 18,000 farmers will be paid their Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) General advance payments next week.
Agriland previously reported that the advance payments for ACRES General contracts would commence in the week beginning December 18, 2023, but Minister Charlie McConalogue has stated today (Thursday, December 14) that his department “will be able to pay 18,000 farmers, namely, those in the general scheme”.
The advance payment will be 85% of the overall amount due on the ACRES contract in respect of 2023, except for money due for the rare breeds action.
However, Minister McConalogue said today that it will be “two-thirds of the farmers in the general scheme” that will get this 85% advance.
“I wanted to be able to do it for everyone, but that is not that is not possible. The team is working to try to deliver that as quickly as possible,” he added.
The department said that balance payments amounting to 15% of the annual payment will be paid to farmers in May 2024.
The minister also added that as ACRES is a scheme “under the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy)” there are “certain processes” to follow.
For nationally funded schemes, McConalogue said there is more flexibility, and pointed to the liming scheme, which he said there will be “an advance payment to all those by the end of this year”.
ACRES
In the Dáil today, Deputy Holly Cairns questioned Minister McConalogue on how the DAFM became “overwhelmed” with the “number of applicants and the complications of processing the new scheme”.
Minister McConalogue acknowledged that his “decision to accept all 46,000 put massive pressure on the entire system” and “put massive pressure on the advisers.
“It was the right decision to make, and I stand by it. Had I not made that decision, there would only be 30,000 farmers in ACRES this year, not 46,000.
“Everybody who applied this year got into the scheme, participated in it and is due a payment. They will not be without a year where they are due a payment,” he added.
The minister confirmed that “it will not be possible to make all the payments that were due at the end of November or in December in time, despite everybody’s best efforts”.
“That is a source of great disappointment to me as minister, and to the team working on it,” Minister McConalogue said.