As of September 1, 2025, a total of €516 million has been paid to participants of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

Of the total figure, almost €266.8 million is in respect of participation in the scheme in 2024, while over €249.1 million relates to participation in 2023.

This brought the total paid in respect in participation in ACRES in 2023 to over €249.1 million, paid to 44,500 participants, or over 99% of all ACRES tranche 1 participants.

A total of 124 farmers have yet to receive their final payments for 2023, according to DAFM.

DAFM said that processing of these cases continues, and payments are being made on a weekly basis tothose participants whose contracts have been cleared during that period.

For 2024 participants, advance payments were made on August 28, 2025 to 16 participants, with those payments amounting to €66,953.48.

This payment run brought total 2024 advance payments to almost €227.5 million, paid to 52,921 farmers, or over 98% of ACRES participants.

According to DAFM, advance payments for scheme participation in 2024 have still to be made to 972 ACRES participants across tranches 1 and 2.

Advance payments in respect of 2024 will continue to be made weekly to ensure timely payments to the remaining participants once their contracts are cleared for payment, according to DAFM.

DAFM has indicated that balancing payments for participation in 2024 commenced on May 15, 2025. It said that the most recent payment run, on August 29, 2025, paid €15,345.37 to a further 38 participants.

This brought the total paid in balancing payments for 2024 to almost €39.3 million, to 52,097 participants. This means that over 96% of all participants are up to date with payments.

DAFM has explained that the issues which have impacted on the making of payments, in respect of each year, are primarily:

Contract and ownership / partnership,
Issues with scorecards (incorrect score, scorecards not submitted, alignment of scorecards with data from the Basic Income Support for Sustainability scheme (BISS),
Alignment of ACRES data with 2024 BISS information.

DAFM said that it is actively resolving the remaining issues.

The non-submission to date by participants, or by their ACRES advisors on their behalf, ofcertain returns also impacted on the making of advance payments to them in respect of2024

Farmers and advisors are encouraged to submit, as soon as possible, any outstandingdocumentation that will allow DAFM to progress and complete their claims assoon as possible.

This includes claiming any non-productive investments that were approved and undertaken in the opening two tranches and any scorecards outstanding.

DAFM has said that the issuing of advance payments in respect of 2024 began in November 2024, in addition to the continued issuing of the balancing payments in respect of 2023.

Meanwhile, balancing payments in respect of participation in ACRES in 2024 commenced in mid-May 2025.

The payment schedule for the issue of 2024 advance and balance payments is consistent with the timing of payments under previous environmental schemes such as the Green Low-carbon Agri-environment Scheme (GLAS).

Over 96% of all ACRES participants are now fully paid in respect of their participation in the Scheme in 2023 and 2024.

DAFM said it is continuing to progress the contracts awaiting final payment in respect of 2023 and/or advance payment in respect of 2024, with those being the more complex cases.